Critical role of lattice vacancies in pressure-induced phase transitions of baroplastic diblock copolymers.

Abstract

Baroplastic diblock copolymers exhibit order-disorder transitions and melt upon compression at low temperatures, in some cases even at ambient temperatures. Their unique low-temperature processability makes them promising candidates for sustainable polymeric materials. Despite their potential, however, the molecular mechanisms governing the pressure-induced phase transitions of these copolymers remain largely unexplored. This study develops a compressible self-consistent field theory for baroplastic copolymers based on a simple lattice vacancy model that explicitly incorporates voids to account for compressibility. The theory shows that the selective presence of voids in compressible domains stabilizes the ordered phase, while a reduction of voids under compression leads to the order-disorder transition. In addition, this work demonstrates for the first time the critical role of gas absorption rates in each segment in the pressure-induced order-disorder transition of baroplastic diblock copolymers. These findings have significant implications for the rational design of baroplastic polymers with tailored low-temperature processability.