Quasielastic gamma-ray scattering from polydimethylsiloxane in benzene solutions

Quasielastic gamma-ray scattering of 46.5-keV Mössbauer photons by polydimethylsiloxane has been studied at room temperature as a function of dilution in benzene. The high energy resolution of this novel technique allowed the separation of the scattering signal into a narrow component associated with stiff motions along the polymer chain backbone and a quasielastic component associated with softer side group motions. The narrow component disappears upon dilution in benzene while the intensity of the quasielastic component grows proportionately. This result is interpreted as a softening of the backbone normal modes upon dilution.