{
  "abstract": "Understanding the internal architecture of copolymer microgels is crucial for establishing how nanoscale polymer organization controls their stimuli-responsive behavior. Here we focus on thermoresponsive P(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-N-isopropyl-methacrylamide), P(NIPAM-co-NIPMAM), microgels with varying mole fraction of the components, synthesized via radical precipitation polymerization, and we demonstrate that changes in their volume phase transition and equilibrium swelling are governed by composition-dependent internal heterogeneity. Comparison between small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) with isotopic labeling and monomer-resolved simulations show a block-like monomer distribution of the two components. SANS analysis reveals a universal maximum in the polymer mesh correlation length near the transition, evidencing coexistence of collapsed NIPAM-rich and swollen domains. The correlation length increases with increasing NIPMAM content, with a maximum for 75 mol \\% NIPMAM, implying sparse collapsed regions within the network and thus a large degree of heterogeneity induced by the presence of an increasingly large fraction of intercalated, non-collapsing PNIPMAM. The maximum heterogeneity correlates with the equilibrium swelling ratio, indicating that collapsed microgels retain a structural memory of the transition and present a less-compliant structure in response to temperature variations. Overall, these insights highlight a complex effect of the block-like monomer distribution on the responsive properties of copolymer microgels with different compositions, thus providing a design rule for tailoring responsive colloids for functional soft materials.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": "2609.03571",
  "author_total": 8,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Jacopo Vialetto"
    },
    {
      "name": "Francesco Brasili"
    },
    {
      "name": "Letizia Tavagnacco"
    },
    {
      "name": "Gavino Bassu"
    },
    {
      "name": "Elena Buratti"
    },
    {
      "name": "Stephen King"
    },
    {
      "name": "Emanuela Zaccarelli"
    },
    {
      "name": "Marco Laurati"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1b8zx20skdm5x.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.48550/arxiv.2609.03571",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "1b8zx20skdm5x",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.03571",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": "CC0-1.0",
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "arxiv",
      "cond-mat.soft"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "1313|Hydrogels: synthesis, properties, applications"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7208767328",
  "pdf_url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/2609.03571",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-03",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1b8zx20skdm5x.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:18:31Z",
      "native_id": "2609.03571",
      "source": "arxiv",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.03571"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "physics",
      "origin": "arxiv:cond-mat.soft",
      "subfield": "condensed-matter"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Heterogeneous collapse in thermoresponsive copolymer microgels varying molar composition",
  "title_text": "Heterogeneous collapse in thermoresponsive copolymer microgels varying molar composition",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:18:31Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1b8zx20skdm5x",
  "venue": "arXiv",
  "versions": []
}