Static and dynamic light scattering on solutions of a poly(p-biphenylmethyl-L-glutamate) exhibiting certain transitions in optical rotation

Dilute solutions of certain polymers have been observed to exhibit a marked reversible change in the optical rotation over a relatively narrow temperature range as the temperature is decreased. Static and dynamic light scattering studies have been carried out on such a system, poly(p-biphenylmethyl-L-glutamate) in tetrahydrofuran, to characterize any changes in the apparent molecular weight, radius of gyration, hydrodynamic radius and molecular optical anisotropy over the same temperature interval. The data are discussed in terms of a possible model involving the coupling between association, phase separation and conformational change as the temperature is varied.