title: Patchy worm-like micelles: solution structure studied by small-angle neutron scattering.
abstract: Triblock terpolymers exhibit a rich self-organization behavior including the formation of fascinating cylindrical core-shell structures with a phase separated corona. After crystallization-induced self-assembly of polystyrene-block-polyethylene-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) triblock terpolymers (abbreviated as SEMs = Styrene-Ethylene-Methacrylates) from solution, worm-like core-shell micelles with a patchy corona of polystyrene and poly(methyl methacrylate) were observed by transmission electron microscopy. However, the solution structure is still a matter of debate. Here, we present a method to distinguish in situ between a Janus-type (two faced) and a patchy (multiple compartments) configuration of the corona. To discriminate between both models the scattering intensity must be determined mainly by one corona compartment. Contrast variation in small-angle neutron scattering enables us to focus on one compartment of the worm-like micelles. The results validate the existence of the patchy structure also in solution.
authors.affiliation: Physikalische Chemie I, Universität Bayreuth, D-95440 Bayreuth, Germany.
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rosenfeldt
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lüdel
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schulreich
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hellweg
authors.forename: Aurel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Radulescu
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schmelz
authors.forename: Holger
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schmalz
authors.forename: Ludger
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Harnau