[[LIVING POLYMERS]] IN ORGANIC-SOLVENTS - BICOPPER(II) TETRACARBOCYLATE SOLUTIONS

Viscoelastic solutions of a binuclear copper(II) tetracarboxylate (Cu2 S8) in tert-butylcyclohexane (TBC) have been investigated by theology and small-angle neutron scattering techniques. The data are analysed i n the theoretical framework of the so-called <<living polymers>>. The Cu2S8 aggregates are semi-rigid thin heterogeneous molecular threads u ndergoing scission/recombination reactions. Structural and dynamical c orrelations have been made with the thermotropic columnar phase and so me lyotropic swollen mesophases of the system. The simplicity of the c omposition and structural constitution enables to avoid the usual salt and composition problems of the aqueous analogues and also to deduce some most probable behaviours related to the scission mechanisms, chai n flexibility and dynamics of stress relaxation.