A small angle neutron scattering (SANS) study on substituted polyacety
lenes in good solvent has been performed. The two polymers considered
are composed of mono- and disubstituted monomer units. The SANS result
s show unambiguously the influence of the steric interaction between n
eighbouring substituents on the magnitude of the statistical length. A
ttempt is also done to relate the magnitude of the torsional fluctuati
ons to the optical properties.