Structure factor of polymers interacting via a short range repulsive potential: application to hairy wormlike micelles.
We use the random phase approximation to compute the structure factor S(q) of a solution of chains interacting through a soft and short range repulsive potential V. Above a threshold polymer concentration, whose magnitude is essentially controlled by the range of the potential, S(q) exhibits a peak whose position depends on the concentration. We take advantage of the close analogy between polymers and wormlike micelles and apply our model, using a Gaussian function for V, to quantitatively analyze experimental small angle neutron scattering profiles of solutions of hairy wormlike micelles. These samples, which consist in surfactant self-assembled flexible cylinders decorated by amphiphilic copolymer, provide indeed an appropriate experimental model system to study the structure of sterically interacting polymer solutions.
Massiera
Gladys
G
Groupe de Dynamique des Phases Condensées (CNRS-UM2 No. 5581), CC26, Université Montpellier 2, 34095 Montpellier Cedex 5, France.
Ramos
Laurence
L
Ligoure
Christian
C
Pitard
Estelle
E