College Park, Maryland June 6 - 10 , 2004 |
M4-D2 (4:15 PM): The effect of chain architecture on the dynamics of copolymers in a homopolymer matrix
S. K. Kamath, M. Lay, R. Mehta, M. D. Dadmun (University of Tennessee, Knoxville)
Copolymers can be used as interfacial modifiers in phase separated polymer blends and selective surface segregation. Important parameters in this process include the amount of copolymer that migrates to the surface and the rate of this process, both of which are altered by changing the copolymer microstructure. We have monitored the the diffusive behavior of various copolymers of Styrene(S) and Methylmethacrylate (MMA) in a PMMA matrix using neutron reflectivity experiments. These results are compared to results from dynamic Monte Carlo simulations on a model blend containing copolymers of different architectures dispersed in a homopolymer matrix. In conjunction, these studies provide valuable insights into the effects of chain architecture on the structure and dynamics of copolymers in a homopolymer matrix.
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