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Report from IUPAC-Sponsored
Symposium
20th Discussion Conference on Scattering Methods
for the Investigation of Polymers, 9-12 July 2001,
Prague, Czech Republic
> Back to Calendar
This discussion conference was the 60th event in the series of
Prague Meetings on Macromolecules organized by the Institute of
Macromolecular Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic.
The experience of the organizers extending over the past three decades
virtually guaranteed that the organization of this meeting would
be highly professional. The conference was attended by 99 active
participants and 9 accompanying persons from 23 countries. Altogether,
7 main lectures, 23 short special lectures, 2 panel discussions,
and 2 poster sessions (41 posters) constituted the scientific program
of the meeting, which was devoted to the application of scattering
methods to the characterization of polymers. The scope of the meeting
included neutron, X-ray, and light-scattering methods and their
use in the description of structural transitions and chain organization
involving simple polymers, block copolymers, various advanced polymer
architectures, polymer blends, gels, and other objects. The titles
of main lectures may serve as examples:
-
"Neutron reflectivity of polymer-polymer interfaces"
(J. S. Higgins, UK)
-
"Scattering studies of universality and hierarchical
structure in polymer mixtures undergoing spinodal decomposition"
(T. Hashimoto, Japan)
-
"Crystallization in block copolymers" (A. J. Ryan,
UK)
-
"Structure and dynamics of silica-filled polymer
by SANS and coherent SAXS" (E. Geissler, France)
-
"New results in sphere-forming block copolymers"
(T. P. Lodge, USA)
-
"Structure and dynamics in aqueous polymer solutions
studied by SAXS and DLS" (O. Glatter, Austria)
-
"Polymer brushes and mushrooms in polymeric matrices"
(S. H. Anastasiadis, Greece)
Two panel discussions on topical problems were skillfully moderated
by G. D. Wignall (USA) and W. Burchard (Germany). A relaxed atmosphere
at poster sessions stimulated informal communication between the
participants.
The social program of the meeting included a welcoming reception
and a trip to the Holy Mountain close to the town of Pøíbram,
followed by a visit to the Castle of Dobøí and
its beautiful parks about 40 km southwest of Prague. Accompanying
persons, in particular, enjoyed seeing the sights of historic parts
of Prague. Appreciation for the fine organization of the scientific
program is due to Dr. Josef Pletil, Chairman of the Conference,
and to the Organizing Committee from the host institute. An important
point to be noted is that Prof. Henri Benoît (France), a pioneer
in the scattering methods applied to polymers, celebrated his 80
th birthday in Prague; congratulations to him!
Dr. Jaroslav Stejskal
Secretary, IUPAC Commission on Structure and
Properties of Commercial Polymers IV.2
Institute of Molecular Chemistry
Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic
Prague, Czech Republic
Page last modified 22 October 2001.
Copyright ©2001 International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry.
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