Characterization of micron-sized periodic structures in multicomponent polymer blends by ultra-small-angle neutron scattering and optical microscopy

Nisita S. Wanakule; Alisyn J. Nedoma; Megan L. Robertson; Fang Zhuangxi; Andrew Jackson; Bruce A. Garetz; Nitash P. Balsara

doi:10.1021/ma701922y

Characterization of micron-sized periodic structures in multicomponent polymer blends by ultra-small-angle neutron scattering and optical microscopy

Nisita S. Wanakule, Alisyn J. Nedoma, Megan L. Robertson, Fang Zhuangxi, Andrew Jackson, Bruce A. Garetz, Nitash P. Balsara

Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The thermodynamic properties of a multicomponent blend containing nearly equal volume fractions of two homopolymers, a saturated polybutadiene with 89% 1,2-addition (component A) and polyisobutylene (component B), and 1 vol % of a diblock copolymer was studied by a combination of ultra-small-angle neutron scattering (USANS) and optical microscopy. The A-C diblock copolymer, which serves as a surfactant, has an A block that is chemically identical to the A homopolymer and a C block that is a saturated polybutadiene with 62% 1,2-addition. The C block exhibits attractive interactions with component B and repulsive interactions with component A. At temperatures between room temperature and 45 °C, USANS results indicated that this blend self-assembles into a microemulsion with periodic length scales in the 0.2-4 μm range. The USANS data were in excellent agreement with the Teubner-Strey equation for scattering from microemulsions. Optical microscopy studies revealed the presence of bicontinuous microemulsions with length scales that were commensurate with those obtained by USANS.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	471-477
Number of pages	7
Journal	Macromolecules
Volume	41
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1021/ma701922y
State	Published - Jan 22 2008

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Organic Chemistry
Polymers and Plastics
Inorganic Chemistry
Materials Chemistry

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10.1021/ma701922y

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title = "Characterization of micron-sized periodic structures in multicomponent polymer blends by ultra-small-angle neutron scattering and optical microscopy",

abstract = "The thermodynamic properties of a multicomponent blend containing nearly equal volume fractions of two homopolymers, a saturated polybutadiene with 89% 1,2-addition (component A) and polyisobutylene (component B), and 1 vol % of a diblock copolymer was studied by a combination of ultra-small-angle neutron scattering (USANS) and optical microscopy. The A-C diblock copolymer, which serves as a surfactant, has an A block that is chemically identical to the A homopolymer and a C block that is a saturated polybutadiene with 62% 1,2-addition. The C block exhibits attractive interactions with component B and repulsive interactions with component A. At temperatures between room temperature and 45 °C, USANS results indicated that this blend self-assembles into a microemulsion with periodic length scales in the 0.2-4 μm range. The USANS data were in excellent agreement with the Teubner-Strey equation for scattering from microemulsions. Optical microscopy studies revealed the presence of bicontinuous microemulsions with length scales that were commensurate with those obtained by USANS.",

author = "Wanakule, {Nisita S.} and Nedoma, {Alisyn J.} and Robertson, {Megan L.} and Fang Zhuangxi and Andrew Jackson and Garetz, {Bruce A.} and Balsara, {Nitash P.}",

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T1 - Characterization of micron-sized periodic structures in multicomponent polymer blends by ultra-small-angle neutron scattering and optical microscopy

AU - Wanakule, Nisita S.

AU - Nedoma, Alisyn J.

AU - Robertson, Megan L.

AU - Zhuangxi, Fang

AU - Jackson, Andrew

AU - Garetz, Bruce A.

AU - Balsara, Nitash P.

PY - 2008/1/22

Y1 - 2008/1/22

N2 - The thermodynamic properties of a multicomponent blend containing nearly equal volume fractions of two homopolymers, a saturated polybutadiene with 89% 1,2-addition (component A) and polyisobutylene (component B), and 1 vol % of a diblock copolymer was studied by a combination of ultra-small-angle neutron scattering (USANS) and optical microscopy. The A-C diblock copolymer, which serves as a surfactant, has an A block that is chemically identical to the A homopolymer and a C block that is a saturated polybutadiene with 62% 1,2-addition. The C block exhibits attractive interactions with component B and repulsive interactions with component A. At temperatures between room temperature and 45 °C, USANS results indicated that this blend self-assembles into a microemulsion with periodic length scales in the 0.2-4 μm range. The USANS data were in excellent agreement with the Teubner-Strey equation for scattering from microemulsions. Optical microscopy studies revealed the presence of bicontinuous microemulsions with length scales that were commensurate with those obtained by USANS.

AB - The thermodynamic properties of a multicomponent blend containing nearly equal volume fractions of two homopolymers, a saturated polybutadiene with 89% 1,2-addition (component A) and polyisobutylene (component B), and 1 vol % of a diblock copolymer was studied by a combination of ultra-small-angle neutron scattering (USANS) and optical microscopy. The A-C diblock copolymer, which serves as a surfactant, has an A block that is chemically identical to the A homopolymer and a C block that is a saturated polybutadiene with 62% 1,2-addition. The C block exhibits attractive interactions with component B and repulsive interactions with component A. At temperatures between room temperature and 45 °C, USANS results indicated that this blend self-assembles into a microemulsion with periodic length scales in the 0.2-4 μm range. The USANS data were in excellent agreement with the Teubner-Strey equation for scattering from microemulsions. Optical microscopy studies revealed the presence of bicontinuous microemulsions with length scales that were commensurate with those obtained by USANS.

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Characterization of micron-sized periodic structures in multicomponent polymer blends by ultra-small-angle neutron scattering and optical microscopy

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