Morphological studies of sulfonated polystyrene and sulfonated EPDM ionomers
Two ionomer systems have been investigated in this research. Sulfonated polystyrene (SPS) is a typical random ionomer and is a good material for studies into the nature of phase separation in ionomers. A series of narrow molecular weight distribution (MWD) zinc neutralized SPS samples of varying sulfonation levels were prepared and analyzed through small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS). Results indicated that the correlation distance varied with both molecular weight and sulfonation level. Increases in the position of the scattering maximum with sulfonation level is the result of a greater number of ionic groups. Increasing molecular weight led to the movement of the scattering maximum to smaller scattering vectors, an indication of larger distances. It was also observed that ionomer peak occurred at smaller scattering vectors for the narrow MWD samples than in corresponding materials of greater dispersity. SAXS was also used to examine the morphology of zinc stearate (ZnSt) filled sulfonated EPDM (S-EPDM) ionomers and the nature of the interaction between the plasticizer and the ionomer. S-EPDM is a material that may find use as a thermoplastic elastomer, although its melt viscosity is too high to allow for convenient processing. The addition of of ZnSt as a plasticizer greatly reduces the melt viscosity of S-EPDM. ZnSt exists in this system as very small crystallites which are associated with ionic groups. As the temperature is increased, the crystallites anneal briefly into larger crystals before melting and diffusing into the S-EPDM matrix. Above the melting temperature of the ZnSt, it solvates the ionic groups of the ionomer, decreasing their self-association and the viscosity of the system. Increasing ZnSt loading is seen in the SAXS as an increase in scattering in the low angle region. However, this increase in intensity is not linear with concentration, showing that ZnSt exists in different environments at higher concentrations.
- Research Organization:
- Connecticut Univ., Storrs, CT (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 111314
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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