Epitaxial Relationship for Hexagonal-to-Cubic Phase Transition in a Book Copolymer Mixture

Small-angle neutron scattering experiments have revealed an epitaxial relationship between the hexagonal cylinder phase, and a bicontinuous cubic phase with Ia3̄d space group symmetry, in a poly(styrene)-poly(2-vinylpyridine) diblock copolymer mixture. Proximity to the order-disorder transition and an inelastic low frequency rheological response suggest that the cubic phase is stabilized by fluctuations. These results identify block copolymers as model compounds for investigating the thermodynamics and dynamics of complex "soft" condensed matter.