One-Component Approximation for Binary Diblock Copolymer Blends

Materials science is a field in which researchers strive not only to understand material properties but also to develop the predictive power to produce new materials with desired properties. Metallurgy is one subfield which has been rather successful in this regard. From a limited number of atomic species, a rich complement of alloys have been developed through blending, produc-ing a wide range of useful properties. Prediction of phase behavior in atomic mixtures is aided by the Hume-Rothery rules ’ which help anticipate miscibility of components and resulting crystal structures. Natu-rally, it would be desirable to obtain similar guidelines for blending block copolymers, and that is the goal of this study. This communication examines binary blends of AB