Structure of the block copolymer polystyrene-polyacetylene, in solution in the doped and undoped state

Summary form only given. Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) have been performed on soluble copolymer polystyrene-polyacetylene (PS-PA) in the doped and neutral state. Two main results are discussed in detail. One concerns the micelle like structure of the copolymer in solution, the second the influence of the doping on the core structure formed by the PA sequences. We show that by increasing the doping concentration (Potassium) the micelle structure becomes loosely bounded. Owing to the chain-chain interaction of conjugated polymers in the neutral state, the structure of the core is stable and compact. In the doped state, such interaction is drastically reduced, either due to the electrostatic repulsion between charges or the creation of defects along the conjugated sequence.