Competition between the micellization and the liquid–liquid phase separation in amphiphilic block copolymer solutions

We have formulated the mixing Gibbs energy density for the micelle phase of an amphiphilic block copolymer solution using mean-field lattice theory. We have found a transition between the micellization and the liquid–liquid phase separation in this solution by comparing the mixing Gibbs energy density for the micelle phase with that for the homogeneous phase. Micellization is preferred over the liquid–liquid phase separation not only at a higher amphiphilicity of the block copolymer chain but also at a higher degree of polymerization of the copolymer. Polymer Journal (2017) 49, 273–277. doi:10.1038/pj.2016.110; published online 9 November 2016