Domain Structure and Domain Formation Mechanism of ABA and AB Block Copolymers of Ethylene Oxide and Isoprene

The domain structure and crystalline texture of AB and ABA type block copolymers of ethylene oxide (EO) and isoprene (Is) are studied, and the effects of the casting solvents and the fractional compositions of each block segment are determined. The domain structures of EO-Is copolymers are essentially identical to those of EO-Is-EO copolymers, but they strongly depend on the fractional compositions and the casting solvents. The role of casting solvent in the different domain formation mechanisms is interpreted in terms of an interrelation of two binodal surfaces that represent the critical concentration for crystallization of the EO segment and the critical concentration for micelle formation of the incompatible EO and Is segments.