Relaxation processes of micellization in dilute solution of polystyrene-block-poly (dimethylsiloxane)

Micellar relaxation processes of polystyrene-block-poly (dimethylsiloxane) in the mixed selective solvent, n-octane/methylcyclohexane, were investigat ed by time-resolved light scattering. The following results were obtained f or two types of temperature jumps. (1) During the process of a temperature (T) jump from T near critical micellization temperature (cmt) to T far away from cmt, the apparent molecular weight (M-w app) rapidly increased at ear lier stage, and then. it decreased slowly exhibiting a peak. On the other h and, on the process of T-jump from T far away from cmt to T near cmt, M-w a pp rapidly decreased at first and then slowly recovered to the equilibrium value. (2) In 2-step temperature jumps, that is the T-jump from the state a t the top of M-w app on the process of micellization at a temperature from unimer state. the temperature rapidly dropped or rose to the other T far aw ay from (or near) cmt, the micelle size after the T-jump still further incr eased (or decreased) with the lapse of time.