Institut für Makromolekulare Chemie der Universität Freiburg, Stefan-Meier-Str. 31, 7800, Freiburg i.Br., West Germany
Abstract:
Small-angle neutron scattering experiments in the range of q2 from 0.01 to 25 nm?2 have been carried out on branched epoxide resins based on bisphenol-A at the Institute Laue—Langevin (I.L.L) in Grenoble (q=(4π/λ) sin(θ/2)). Measurements were made with six samples in the range of MW from 1500 to 19 000 and four concentrations between 1.3 and 10% (w/w) in deuterated diglyme. The results are as follows: (i) The mean square radius of gyration follows a relationship S2z=4.69×10?4M1.20W (nm2). (ii) In all cases fairly large second virial coefficients A2 are obtained which, however, decrease strongly with molecular weight. Above MW=2500, the virial coefficient follows the relationship A2=1.6M?0.85W (mol cm3g?2). (ii) The reciprocal particle scattering factor as a function of q2 exhibits only a slight upturn and otherwise shows the behaviour of a randomly branched polycondensate. The slight upturn is discussed as being caused by the finite volume of the monomeric unit. Possible reasons for the high exponent in the S2zversusMW dependence are briefly discussed.