Specular reflectivity of neutrons by thin polymer films

The reflectivity of neutrons provides a novel means of investigating a wide range of surface and interfacial phenomena with a spatial resolution that is on the nanometer size scale. Neutron reflectivity is emerging as a technique that can quantitatively address segment density depth profiles by simple isotopic substitution of light hydrogen by deuterium. Only recently has the utility of this technique in polymer science been realized. For example, Jannink and co-workers1,2 have used the reflection of neutrons to evaluate the concentration profile of polymer segments in solution near the air-solution interface. There have also been preliminary reports on block copolymer solutions3 and immiscible polymer bilayers.4,5 In the present paper, we report the application of specular neutron reflection to investigate the interdiffusion of two layers, composed of polymer molecules where one of the polymers is deuteriated and the other is protonated. © 1988, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.