Single Molecule Lifetime Fluctuations Reveal Segmental Dynamics in Polymers

Vallée, R.A.L. and Tomczak, N. and Kuipers, L. and Vancso, G.J. and Hulst van, N.F. (2003) Single Molecule Lifetime Fluctuations Reveal Segmental Dynamics in Polymers. Physical Review Letters, 91 (3). 038301/1-038301/4. ISSN 0031-9007

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Abstract:	We present a single molecule fluorescence study that allows one to probe the nanoscale segmental dynamics in amorphous polymer matrices. By recording single molecular lifetime trajectories of embedded fluorophores, peculiar excursions towards longer lifetimes are observed. The asymmetric response is shown to reflect variations in the photonic mode density as a result of the local density fluctuations of the surrounding polymer. We determine the number of polymer segments involved in a local segmental rearrangement volume around the probe. A common decrease of the number of segments with temperature is found for both investigated polymers, poly(styrene) and poly(isobutylmethacrylate). Our novel approach will prove powerful for the understanding of the nanoscale rearrangements in functional polymers.
Item Type:	Article
Copyright:	© 2003 The American Physical Society
Faculty:	Science and Technology (TNW)
Research Group:	Materials Science and Technology of Polymers (MTP)
Link to this item:	http://purl.utwente.nl/publications/40540
Official URL:	http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.91.038301
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