(71b) Phase Separation Dynamics of Protein-Like Copolymers (PLCs) Compatibilized Polymer Blend: a Monte Carlo Simulation

Protein-like copolymers (PLCs) represent a new type of functional copolymer that, exhibit large-scale compositional heterogeneities and long-range correlations along the sequence. PLCs were first introduced by Khokhlov and coworkers who used computer simulations to demonstrate that random copolymers with tunable monomer sequences could, in principle, be generated by adjusting the compactness of a parent homopolymer composed of component A, and then converting exposed segments on the polymer surface into B segments by reacting them with other species in the surrounding solution. In this talk we describe the results of a computer simulations study aimed at supporting the development of PLCs as compatibilizing agents for a polymer blend containing two immiscible homopolymers. Monte Carlo simulations are used to explore the effect of compatibilizer sequence on the phase separation dynamics of the polymer blend. The results are compared to those for systems in which the compatibilizers are block, regular alternating and random copolymers.