Entropically driven segregation in blends of branched and linear polymers

A self-consistent mean-field treatment of branched polymer additives in a linear polymer matrix is developed in order to study the effect of chain architecture on surface segregation. With branched additives, connectivity between side chains and an increased number of chain ends results in near-surface concentration profiles that differ both qualitatively and quantitatively from those seen with Linear chain additives. A much larger degree of segregation with branched additives is observed when compared with linear additives of equivalent molecular weight.