Self-assembly behavior of rod-coil-rod triblock copolymers within a planar slit

The self-assembly behavior of sphere-forming R₅C₃₀R₅ triblock copolymers within a planar slit is studied by performing dissipative particle dynamics simulations. A sequence of novel structures which are not observed in bulk are formed within slits, including wetting layers, island-like structure, parallel cylinders, perpendicular cylinders and cross-cylindrical structures. Perpendicular cylinders are always formed before the increase in the layers of parallel cylinders. A phase diagram of the assembled structures with respective to the slit property and height is thus presented. The rod length is found to have a significant impact on the rod alignment, and a disordered-ordered transition of rod orientation occurs with an increase in the length of rod blocks. Some special structures, such as parallel half-cylinders and arrowhead-shaped morphology, are observed when the rod length increases to a certain extent. Our results show that the property and height of the slit and rod length all influence the self-assembly of rod-coil-rod triblock copolymers.