Self-Consistent Field Approach for Cross-Linked Copolymer Materials

A generalized self-consistent field approach for polymer networks with a fixed topology is developed. It is shown that the theory reproduces the localization of cross-links, which is characteristic for gels. The theory is then used to study the order-disorder transition in regular networks of end-linked diblock copolymers. Compared to diblock copolymer melts, the transition is shifted towards lower values of the incompatibility parameter chi (the Flory-Huggins parameter). Moreover, the transition becomes strongly first order already at the mean-field level. If stress is applied, the transition is further shifted and finally vanishes in a critical point.