ALKYLATED STYRENE IONOMERS WITH VARIABLE LENGTH SPACERS .2. PHYSICAL-PROPERTIES

The dynamic mechanical properties of two analogous series of alkylated styrene ionomers were examined. The samples were prepared in the partial base hydrolysis of precursors containing 10-15 mol % of 4-substituted styrene units with substituents R = -(CH2)nCO2Me (n = 1, 5, 10) or R = -O(CH2)nCO2Me (n = 1, 4,10). The variation in the mechanical properties was studied as a function of ion content for the different ionomers, to yield a systematic investigation of the effects of ion spacing from the polymer backbone. Three distinct factors are postulated as having contributed to the trends observed among the different series of compounds. These include the bulkiness and rigidity of the units to which the ionic groups are attached and the immobilizing effect of the ionic groups on the polymer backbone. Furthermore, in the ether derivatives, the presence of alkyl aryl ether linkages leads to solvation effects and thus reduces clustering. © 1990, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.