| Abstract: | The physical cross-linked network due to B blocks bridging different A domains of a microphase separated melt formed by an ABA copolymer in the strong-segregation limit is examined. The system is considered to consist of swollen elements of the same size, each containing an A domain and a B layer anchored to the A domain as loops or bridges. A lattice model and a generator-matrix method are employed to calculate the equilibrium fraction of the bridging B chains of the ABA mesophase and the equilibrium swelling concentration of the B layer in a selective solvent for the planar, cylindrical and spherical A domain structures. The effects of chain length and of two-dimensional surface density of the AB joints are discussed. The equilibrium fraction of the bridging chains as a function of chain stiffness and the equilibrium swelling concentration as a function of the fraction of bridging chains and of the interaction parameter are calculated. In addition, the segment density distributions of both loop and bridging chains for both the pure ABA and the swollen ABA mesophases are provided. |
