Complementary use of small-angle neutron scattering and dynamic light scattering studies for structure analysis and dynamics of polymer gels

Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) have been complementarily employed in order to investigate the structure and dynamics of slide-ring (SR) gels, a class of novel polymer gels having advanced mechanical properties. SR gels consist of long flexible polymer chains and movable cross-links along the polymer chain. It is demonstrated that complementary use is necessary to explore the dynamics of SR gels. The sliding capability was verified by DLS and a low level of frozen inhomogeneities, originating from the sliding motion, was observed by SANS. DLS was also used to determine the sol–gel transition threshold and to decompose the scattering intensity into the dynamic fluctuating component and the frozen inhomogeneities. Both techniques clearly indicate the presence of the sliding mode in SR gels, which plays significant roles in the advanced mechanical and swelling properties.