Open AccessRecent progress on polymer dynamics by neutron scattering: From simple polymers to complex materials
Author(s) -
Colmenero Juan,
Arbe Arantxa
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of polymer science part b: polymer physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.65
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1099-0488
pISSN - 0887-6266
DOI - 10.1002/polb.23178
Subject(s) - neutron scattering , polymer , polystyrene , neutron , chemical physics , deuterium , scattering , proton , neutron spin echo , materials science , soft matter , quasielastic neutron scattering , physics , small angle neutron scattering , polymer chemistry , polymer science , nuclear physics , chemistry , optics , composite material , colloid
The recent (from 2010 onward) contributions of quasielastic neutron scattering techniques (time of flight, backscattering, and neutron spin echo) to the characterization and understanding of dynamical processes in soft materials based on polymers are analyzed. The selectivity provided by the combination of neutron scattering and isotopic—in particular, proton/deuterium—labeling allows the isolated study of chosen molecular groups and/or components in a system. This opportunity, together with the capability of neutrons to provide space/time resolution at the relevant length scales in soft matter, allows unraveling the nature of the large variety of molecular motions taking place in materials of increasing complexity. As a result, recent relevant works can be found dealing with dynamical process which associated characteristic lengths and nature are as diverse as, for example, phenyl motions in a glassy linear homopolymer like polystyrene and the chain dynamics of a polymer adsorbed on dispersed clay platelets. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2013