Structure and dynamics of comb polymers in the melt

Annie Brulet, Laboratoire Léon Brillouin, Saclay, France

Structure and dynamics of different comb polymers are studied by Small Angle Neutron Scattering and Rheology. We determine their structure either in solutions or in melts by using labeling of different parts of combs (backbone or branches). In melts, while not entangled in the sense of linear amorphous polymer, long comb polymers (40< N <1000) display unexpected elastic properties that furthermore correspond to new polymer dynamics. In order to deepen the origin of these properties, we study different comb polymers, liquid crystalline polymers in the isotropic phase, bottlebrush polymers and polymacromonomers. The latter polymers have rather small degree of polymerization. Their conformation measured by SANS in different solvents or melts are compared to Monte Carlo Simulation results. We compare the various effects of branching (rigidity and branch length) on the conformation of all these well-defined comb polymers.

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