Study of mass diffusion and relaxation processes in polymer systems by laser-induced holographic grating relaxation and dynamic light scattering

The diffusion of dye molecules in various polymer systems is studied using the Laser Induced Holographic Grating Relaxation technique. The diffusion coefficients of camphorquinone (CQ), thymoquinone (TQ), diacetyl (DA) and azo compounds in these polymers are studied as a function of temperature, properties of both the polymers and the dye molecules. The effects of additives are also investigated. Due to the chemical reversibility of the azo compounds, the kinetics of their chemical processes are also analyzed.; The mutual diffusion coefficients in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) compatible polymer blends are measured by dynamic light scattering as a function of the molecular weight of PEO while keeping the molecular weight of PMMA fixed. The polymer chain relaxation processes of poly(isobornyl methacrylate) (PIMA) are also studied by using dynamic light scattering.