@article{KathreinBaiCurrivanIncorviaetal.2015,
  author    = {Kathrein, Christine C. and Bai, Wubin and Currivan-Incorvia, Jean Anne and Liontos, George and Ntetsikas, Konstantinos and Avgeropoulos, Apostolos and B{\"o}ker, Alexander and Tsarkova, Larisa and Ross, Caroline A.},
  title     = {Combining Graphoepitaxy and Electric Fields toward Uniaxial Alignment of Solvent-Annealed Polystyrene-b-Poly(dimethylsiloxane) Block Copolymers},
  series = {Chemistry of materials : a publication of the American Chemical Society},
  volume    = {27},
  journal   = {Chemistry of materials : a publication of the American Chemical Society},
  number    = {19},
  publisher = {American Chemical Society},
  address   = {Washington},
  issn      = {0897-4756},
  doi       = {10.1021/acs.chemmater.5b03354},
  pages     = {6890 -- 6898},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {We report a combined directing effect of the simultaneously applied graphoepitaxy and electric field on the self-assembly of cylinder forming polystyrene-b-poly(dimethylsiloxane) block copolymer in thin films. A correlation length of up to 20 mu m of uniaxial ordered striped patterns is an order of magnitude greater than that produced by either graphoepitaxy or electric field alignment alone and is achieved at reduced annealing times. The angle between the electric field direction and the topographic guides as well as the dimensions of the trenches affected both the quality of the ordering and the direction of the orientation of cylindrical domains: parallel or perpendicular to the topographic features. We quantified the interplay between the electric field and the geometry of the topographic structures by constructing the phase diagram of microdomain orientation. This combined approach allows the fabrication of highly ordered block copolymer structures using macroscopically prepatterned photolithographic substrates.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{KathreinKipnusuKremeretal.2015,
  author    = {Kathrein, Christine C. and Kipnusu, Wycliffe K. and Kremer, Friedrich and B{\"o}ker, Alexander},
  title     = {Birefringence Analysis of the Effect of Electric Fields on the Order-Disorder Transition Temperature of Lamellae Forming Block Copolymers},
  series = {Macromolecules : a publication of the American Chemical Society},
  volume    = {48},
  journal   = {Macromolecules : a publication of the American Chemical Society},
  number    = {10},
  publisher = {American Chemical Society},
  address   = {Washington},
  issn      = {0024-9297},
  doi       = {10.1021/acs.macromol.5b00512},
  pages     = {3354 -- 3359},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {A detailed birefringence analysis of the effect of strong dc electric fields on the order-disorder transition temperature (T-ODT) of lamella forming block copolymers is reported. The setup presented here enabled the measurement of the T-ODT with high temperature resolution while the birefringence measurements were nondestructive and straightforward compared to alternative methods. A downward shift in the transition temperature was found for all samples upon application of the electric field. The data indicate that the dominating parameter that evokes the mixing of block copolymers when exposed to electric fields is the difference in dielectric permittivity Delta epsilon between the block copolymer constituents. The extent to which the T-ODT is shifted is furthermore influenced by the degree of polymerization N. Shifts in the transition temperature of up to 7 degrees C were found upon application of an electric field of 5 kV/mm.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{KathreinBaiNunnsetal.2016,
  author    = {Kathrein, Christine C. and Bai, Wubin and Nunns, Adam and Gwyther, Jessica and Manners, Ian and B{\"o}ker, Alexander and Tsarkova, Larisa and Ross, Caroline A.},
  title     = {Electric field manipulated nanopatterns in thin films of metalorganic 3-miktoarm star terpolymers},
  series = {Soft matter},
  volume    = {12},
  journal   = {Soft matter},
  publisher = {Royal Society of Chemistry},
  address   = {Cambridge},
  issn      = {1744-683X},
  doi       = {10.1039/c6sm00451b},
  pages     = {4866 -- 4874},
  year      = {2016},
  abstract  = {We report the effect of electric field on the morphological transitions and ordering behavior of polyferrocenylethylmethylsilane block (PFEMS)-containing copolymers. By analyzing structures in solvent-annealed films of metalorganic sphere-and cylinder-forming diblock copolymers, as well as of 3-miktoarm polyisoprene-arm-polystyrene-arm-PFEMS (3 mu-ISF) terpolymers, we decouple two types of responses to the electric field: morphological transformations as a result of an increase in the volume fraction of the PFEMS block by oxidation of the ferrocenyl groups, and the orientation of the dielectric interfaces of microdomains parallel to the electric field vector. In the case of 3m-ISF, the former effect dominates at high electric field strengths which results in an unexpected cylinder-to-sphere transition, leading to a well-ordered hexagonal dot pattern. Our results demonstrate multiple tunability of ordered microdomain morphologies, suggesting future applications in nanofabrication and surface patterning.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{KathreinPesterRuppeletal.2016,
  author    = {Kathrein, Christine C. and Pester, Christian and Ruppel, Markus and Jung, Maike and Zimmermann, Marc and B{\"o}ker, Alexander},
  title     = {Reorientation mechanisms of block copolymer/CdSe quantum dot composites under application of an electric field},
  series = {Soft matter},
  volume    = {12},
  journal   = {Soft matter},
  publisher = {Royal Society of Chemistry},
  address   = {Cambridge},
  issn      = {1744-683X},
  doi       = {10.1039/c6sm01073c},
  pages     = {8417 -- 8424},
  year      = {2016},
  abstract  = {Time- and temperature-resolved in situ birefringence measurements were applied to analyze the effect of nanoparticles on the electric field-induced alignment of a microphase separated solution of poly(styrene)-block-poly(isoprene) in toluene. Through the incorporation of isoprene-confined CdSe quantum dots the reorientation behavior is altered. Particle loading lowers the order-disorder transition temperature, and increases the defect density, favoring nucleation and growth as an alignment mechanism over rotation of grains. The temperature dependent alteration in the reorientation mechanism is analyzed via a combination of birefringence and synchrotron SAXS. The detailed understanding of the effect of nanoparticles on the reorientation mechanism is an important prerequisite for optimization of electricfield-induced alignment of block copolymer/nanoparticle composites where the block copolymer guides the nanoparticle self-assembly into anisotropic structures.},
  language  = {en}
}