Collect. Czech. Chem. Commun. 2001, 66, 973-982
https://doi.org/10.1135/cccc20010973

A Time-Resolved Low-Angle Light Scattering Apparatus. Application to Phase Separation Problems in Polymer Systems

Čestmír Koňák*, Jaroslav Holoubek and Petr Štěpánek

Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, 162 06 Prague 6, Czech Republic

Abstract

A time-resolved small-angle light scattering apparatus equipped with azimuthal integration by means of a conical lens or software analysis of scattering patterns detected with a CCD camera was developed. Averaging allows a significant reduction of the signal-to-noise ratio of scattered light and makes this technique suitable for investigation of phase separation kinetics. Examples of applications to time evolution of phase separation in concentrated statistical copolymer solutions and dissolution of phase-separated domains in polymer blends are given.

Keywords: Time-resolved low-angle light scattering; Conical lens; CCD camera; Phase separation; Copolymers; Blends; Polymer solutions.

References: 11 live references.