Sundar L. Aggarwal

Microstructure and Isotopic Labeling Effects on the Miscibility of Polybutadiene Blends Studied by the Small-Angle Neutron Scattering Technique

Deuterated polybutadiene and protonated polybutadiene (PBD/PBH) blends with various microstructures have been studied by the small-angle neutron scattering experiments. Correlation length, ξ, zero-wavenumber structure factor, S(q=o), and interaction parameter, X blend have been obtained. All PBD/PBH blends exhibit UCST behavior. With the use of random copolymer theory, the interaction parameter, X blend , has been successfully separated into X 1 , X 2 and X 3 which are interaction parameters between the same isotope labeled 1,2-unit and 1,4-unit, opposite isotope labeled 1,2-unit and 1,4- unit, and opposite isotope labeled 1,2-unit with 1,2-unit or 1,4-unit with 1,4-unit, respectively.