Time-resolved SAXS/WAXS studies during polyethylene block copolymer synthesis

We wish to conduct time-resolved SAXS/WAXS studies during the controlled radical polymerization (CRP) of ethylene in dimethyl carbonate (DMC) using a functionalized poly(ethylene oxide). During their synthesis, these poly(ethylene oxide)-b-polyethylene (PEO-PE) block copolymers self-assemble into worm-like nanoparticles in a process termed polymerization-induced crystallization-driven self-assembly (PI-CDSA). We will monitor the formation and growth of such nano-objects during their synthesis using SAXS to provide information on the nanoparticle dimensions (length, width, number of chains per particle etc.), and WAXS to study the kinetics and influence of PE crystallization. We envisage at least one high-profile publication to arise from this beam time application and these will be the first studies of their kind. Considering the undoubted industrial relevance of PE, we anticipate that this work will be of great interest to the polymer science community in both academia and industry.