Swelling process investigation of polymer layer deposited on siliceous materials using SAXS method

The paper examines the advantages of the SAXS method in the investigation o f the swelling degree of the polymer layer formed on rigid porous materials . Among others, the SAXS allows for the estimation of the value of interfac ial surface as well as the value of the volume fraction of the material, wh ich is related to scattering objects. The swelling process leads to change in the radius of pores and, in consequence, change in the volume fraction o f solid phase. The paper presents the theory which allows for calculating t he influence of this change in increment of polymer thickness on SAXS data as well as the experimental results of the SAXS study of the porous materia ls composed of controlled porosity glass with formed polysaccharide-polyimi ne surface layers differing in cross-linking degree. The presented results reveal the usefulness of the SAXS method in investigating the swelling degr ee of polymer layers formed on the surface of rigid porous materials. This is because obtained values from the SAXS data are in agreement with the kno wledge of the physicochemical properties of polymers. (C) 2001 Elsevier Sci ence B.V. All rights reserved.