DYNAMICS OF POLYMER-MOLECULES USING NEUTRON SPIN-ECHO

The dynamics of single polymer chains have been investigated in dilute solution and in the melt using the neutron spin-echo technique. In dilute solution the intramolecular motion is described to a first approximation by that for a Rouse chain incorporating hydrodynamic interactions (Zimm). It is characterized by an inverse correlation time which may be normalized by temperature, solvent viscosity and segment size, and which for long chains varies as Q**3 at small scattering angles (Q is the change in wavevector on scattering). At very low Q vectors the predicted 'universal' regime is observed, but over most of the accessible range chemical structure also becomes important.