On the Derivation of a Density Functional Theory for Microphase Separation of Diblock Copolymers

Abstract

We consider here the problem of phase separation in copolymer melts. The Ohta–Kawasaki density functional theory gives rise to a nonlocal Cahn–Hilliard-like functional, promoting the use of ansatz-free mathematical tools for the investigation of minimizers. In this article we re-derive this functional as an offspring of the self-consistent mean field theory, connecting all parameters to the fundamental material parameters and clearly identifying all the approximations used. As a simple example of an ansatz-free investigation, we calculate the surface tension in the strong segregation limit, independent of any phase geometry.