Theoretical aspects of small-angle neutron scattering in multiphase polymers.
01 January 1987
A molecular theory for determining small-angle neutron scattering correlations is reviewed and extended to consider multiphase block copolymer systems such as blends of block copolymer with homopolymer. We introduce the concept of phase-matched copolymers which are invisible to neutrons in order to isolate the scattering functions due to the homopolymer chains. Composition-matched blends of labeled and unlabeled chains are used where the fraction of deuterated chains is adjusted to eliminate the intermolecular scattering. Methods are discussed to study diblock, triblock, and star copolymer systems which may be macrophase separated.