Simulation study of the morphologies of energetic block copolymers based on glycidyl azide polymer

The morphologies of energetic block copolymers based on glycidyl azide polymer (GAP) were investigated by dissipative particle dynamics simulation. The results show that the morphologies could be used to qualitatively explain the variation in the mechanical properties of poly(azidomethyl ethylene oxide-b-butadiene) diblock copolymers (DBCs) and that bicontinuous (B) phases could effectively improve the mechanical properties. Among our designed DBCs, only GAP-acrylic acid, GAP-acrylonitrile, and GAP-vinyl amide could form B phases at very narrow regions of GAP contents. The triblock copolymers with their linear topologies could maintain the B phases in the broader region of GAP contents. We hope these results can provide help in the design and synthesis of new energetic block copolymers.