Lawrence, M. B.; Desa, J. A. E.; Aswal, V. K.; Badiger, M. V.
ABSTRACT
The linear polymer Poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAM) in aqueous solution has been examined by
Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) as a function of concentration and temperature in the wave vector range 0.017
to 0.35 Å-1. The intensity of scattering showed about five-fold decrease as the temperature
increased from 30 to 50 OC accompanied by phase separation. When mixed with a 1% Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate (SDS) surfactant, the SANS data
showed evidence for the polymer being included within the surfactant micellar aggregates whose
mean separation was about 100 Å. It is possible that inclusion in the surfactant micelle occurs preferentially over the phase separation in
PNIPAM. Thermo-reversibility of the mixed solution of PNIPAM and SDS was also observed.