Melts of single-chain nanoparticles: A neutron scattering investigation

The impact of purely intramolecular cross-linking on the properties of a polymer melt is studied by neutron diffraction and quasielastic incoherent and coherent neutron scattering on a system composed exclusively of single-chain nanoparticles. As a reference, a parallel study is presented on the melt of the linear precursor chains’ counterpart. Associated with structural heterogeneities provoked by the internal compartmentalization due to cross-links, a dramatic slowing down of the relaxation of density fluctuations is observed at intermediate length scales.The impact of purely intramolecular cross-linking on the properties of a polymer melt is studied by neutron diffraction and quasielastic incoherent and coherent neutron scattering on a system composed exclusively of single-chain nanoparticles. As a reference, a parallel study is presented on the melt of the linear precursor chains’ counterpart. Associated with structural heterogeneities provoked by the internal compartmentalization due to cross-links, a dramatic slowing down of the relaxation of density fluctuations is observed at intermediate length scales.