Heterogenous deswelling of PNIPAM-PNIPMAM copolymer microgels

In this proposal our aim is that of establishing a link between the Volume Phase Transition (VPT) and the formation of segregation and local homopolymer domains in microgels formed by two distinct thermoresponsive polymers (copolymer microgels). For this purpose, changes in the internal structure of copolymer microgels formed by PNIPAM and PNIPMAM as a function of the molar composition and temperature will be investigated by SANS measurements of dilute suspensions. The use of partially deuterated polymers will allow us to selectively investigate the contribution of each polymer to the formation of domains across the VPT. Model fitting and comparison with monomer-resolved simulations will allow us to link the macroscopic responsiveness to the microscopic internal structure.