Characterization of semicrystalline random copolymers by small-angle neutron scattering

A new method is introduced to determine the degree of partitioning of noncrystallizable comonomer units (B units) between the two phases of a semicrystalline random copolymer. The method is based on the comparison of the intensities of small-angle neutron and x-ray scattering (SANS and SAXS, respectively). By this technique two quantities can be evaluated: the difference Δρ of the mass densities between the crystalline and the disordered regions, and the concentration fluctuations of the B units in the two phases. It is found that SANS is very sensitive to the presence of small amounts of B units if their scattering length is sufficiently different from that of the A units. This will be the…

Redoxactive liquid crystalline (LC) side group polymers were prepared by copolymerization of liquid crystalline acrylates and ferrocene-containing acrylates. The corresponding liquid crystalline ionomers were synthesized by a reversible redox reaction. The incorporation of tetra-alkylated ferrocene derivatives leads to LC polymers with reduced redox potential. These polymers can be oxidized under mild conditions to the corresponding ionomers, which are much more stable in solution than LC ionomers containing monoalkylated ferrocenium ions. Dynamic mechanical measurements and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) perfomed on LC ionomers prove the existence of ionic superstructures (clusters) w…