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Nanoscale Inhomogeneities in Thermoresponsive Polymers
Author(s) -
Kurzbach Dennis,
Junk Matthias J. N.,
Hinderberger Dariush
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
macromolecular rapid communications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.348
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1521-3927
pISSN - 1022-1336
DOI - 10.1002/marc.201200617
Subject(s) - nanoscopic scale , polymer , electron paramagnetic resonance , materials science , characterization (materials science) , nanotechnology , spin probe , amphiphile , molecule , chemical physics , copolymer , chemistry , organic chemistry , nuclear magnetic resonance , physics , composite material
This article highlights the occurrence and nature of nanoscale inhomogeneities in thermoresponsive polymers and focuses on different experimental techniques for their observation and characterization. Such inhomogeneities can be regarded as nanoscopic domains of collapsed polymer segments (or of a small number of unimers), which provide a nonpolar, hydrophobic interior. Continuous wave (CW) electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy on amphiphilic reporter molecules (spin probes) as an intrinsically local technique is particularly emphasized. In combination with different ensemble‐averaging methods, it provides a holistic understanding of the often inhomogeneous nanoscale processes during the temperature‐induced collapse of a thermoresponsive polymer.