Chain Diffusion in Lamellar Block Copolymers

Abstract

Diffusion of symmetric diblock copolymer chains in macroscopically oriented lamellar block copolymers are studied in a molecular dynamics simulation. Results for diffusion constant both parallel $D_\parallel$ and perpendicular $D_\perp$ to the lamellar planes are compared to results in the disordered one phase region. For diblocks of length N=40 (1.1 N_e) and $100 (3N_e)$, where $N_e$ is the entanglement length of a homopolymer melt at the same density, $D_\parallel$ is nearly independent of $\chi$, while $D_\perp$ is strongly suppressed as $\chi$ is increased. These results are in agreement with theoretical predictions based on the Rouse model. The isotropic diffusion constant of quenched disordered systems is approximated fairly well by $(2D_\parallel+D_\perp)/3$ of the corresponding lamellar system.