A real time neutron scattering experiment for the study of polymer dynamics

The dynamics of an amorphous polystyrene (Mw = 650 000) melt is studied by successive observations of the static coil form factor during stress relaxation following a uniaxial deformation. This paper presents neutron scattering data for a duration of relaxation of the order of, or bigger than the Rouse time of the chains. The data cover the entire submolecular range for the scattering vector, as the result of the successive use of three different spectrometer configurations. A more complete discussion of the time dependence of the static form factor is now possible. A contribution to this discussion is given in the next letter