The Application of Small Angle Neutron Scattering to Elastomers

The last twenty years have seen a dramatic increase in the application of small angle neutron scattering to polymer science. In this review the use of SANS to study elastomers and elastomeric systems has been summarized. This has focused on those applications most significant to the understanding of rubber. These have included the dimensions of polymer chains in the bulk melt state, the miscibility of polymer blends, the structure of block copolymers, and the nature of crosslinked networks. The information that has been obtained so far has cleared up many of the outstanding questions about elastomers, and one can only expect that this use will increase in the future and will yield a wealth of useful information.