Binary homopolymer blends of two hydroxyl-terminated polystyrene (PS-OH) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA-OH) homopolymers (Mn~ 16000 g mol− 1) were grafted on SiO 2 substrates by high-temperature (T> 150 C), short-time (t< 600 s) thermal treatments. The resulting brush layer was tested to screen preferential interactions of the SiO 2 substrate with the different symmetric and asymmetric PS-b-PMMA block copolymers deposited on top of the grafted molecules. By properly adjusting the blend composition and the processing parameters, an efficient surface neutralization path was identified, enabling the formation, in the block copolymer film, of homogeneous textures of lamellae or cylinders perpendicularly oriented with respect to the substrate. A critical interplay between the phase segregation of the homopolymer blends and their grafting process on the SiO 2 was observed. In fact, the polar SiO 2 is …