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Rheological Behavior of Oligomeric Ionomers

Journal Article · · Journal of Rheology
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1122/1.3003570· OSTI ID:980435

The rheological behavior of the alkali metal salts of oligomeric sulfonated polystyrene (PS) ionomers was characterized using dynamic and steady shear measurements. The starting PS had a weight average molecular weight of 4000 g/mol and a narrow molecular weight distribution (1.06). Two sulfonation levels were examined, 2.5 and 4.8 mol %, which corresponded, respectively, to one and two sulfonate groups per chain on average. The ionomers exhibited nanophase separation of an ion-rich phase, and as a consequence, time-temperature superposition failed for all samples. Sulfonation increased the melt viscosity of the ionomers, as much as seven orders of magnitude. The zero shear viscosity scaled as cq/a, where c was the concentration of the ionic groups, q was the charge of the cation, and a was the cation radius, and although the molecular weight of the parent polystyrene was much lower than the entanglement molecular weight, the ionomer melts exhibited strong elastic behavior. The flow activation energy of the ionomers was similar to that of high molecular weight PS and the calculated molecular weight between 'entanglements' of the ionomers was the same as for PS.

Research Organization:
Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) National Synchrotron Light Source
Sponsoring Organization:
Doe - Office Of Science
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-98CH10886
OSTI ID:
980435
Report Number(s):
BNL--93353-2010-JA
Journal Information:
Journal of Rheology, Journal Name: Journal of Rheology Vol. 53; ISSN JORHD2; ISSN 0148-6055
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English