Transition between crystallization and microphase separation in PS-b-PEO thin film Influenced by solvent vapor selectivity

In this paper, the effect of solvent selectivity on the transition between crystallization and microphase separation of the semicrystalline diblock copolymer polystyrene-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (PS-b-PEO) thin films was investigated. Square-shaped crystals formed due to lower barrier of crystalline nucleation in both poor and good solvent vapor for PEO. However, in poor solvent (cyclohexane) vapor for PEO, crystalline structure changed to microphase separated structure in the square platelets due to the high mobility of PS blocks. Then breakout crystals dominated the morphology of the film. While, in good solvent (water) vapor for PEO, competition between nucleation and dissolution of crystallization caused the formation of imperfect crystals. Then imperfect crystals dissolved due to the high mobility of PEO blocks, and microphase separation dominated the morphology of the film. The gain of free volume of soluble block and the low swelling of crystalline block are keys for microphase separation and crystallization, respectively.