Dynamics of Polymer Chains in Solution Subject to an Electric Field Probed by Quasielastic Light Scattering

• Published in: Macromolecules Vol. 32; no. 8; pp. 2605 - 2609
• Main Authors: Sun, Z, Wang, C. H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 20.04.1999
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Exact sciences and technology; Organic polymers; Physicochemistry of polymers; Properties and characterization; Solution and gel properties; Quasi elastic scattering; Chemical solution; Translational diffusion; Light scattering; Concentration effect; Styrene polymer; Electric field effect; Experimental study
• ISSN: 0024-9297; 1520-5835
• DOI: 10.1021/ma981191h

The effect of an applied electric field (E-field) on the dynamics of polystyrene (PS) in tetrahydrofuran (THF) was studied by quasielastic light scattering. The concentration of the PS/THF solution was varied from very dilute to semidilute, and the E-field was applied up to 7.14 kV/cm. In the dilute to semidilute regime, the relaxation rate of PS increases sharply with the increase of applied E-field. The dilute regime was overlooked in previous studies. However, going beyond the semidilute to concentrated regime, the applied E-field has only a diminishing effect on the dynamics of PS/THF solution. The observed electric field induced effect is found to be closely related to the polarization current of the polymer solution.