STRONG SEGREGATION THEORY OF BICONTINUOUS PHASES IN BLOCK-COPOLYMERS

We compute phase diagrams for A(n)B(m) starblock copolymers in the str ong-segregation regime as a function of volume fraction phi, including bicontinuous phases related to minimal surfaces (G, D, and P surfaces ) as candidate structures. We present the details of a general method to compute free energies in the strong segregation limit and demonstra te that the gyroid G phase is the most nearly stable among the biconti nuous phases considered. We explore some effects of conformational asy mmetry on the topology of the phase diagram.