DYNAMIC MELT RHEOLOGY OF POLY-(STYRENE-CO-VINYLPYRIDINE) AND THEIR METHYL-IODIDE SALTS

The dynamic melt rheology of random copolymers of polystyrene with 2-9 mol% 4-vinylpyridine was examined in their quaternized and nonquaternized forms. Time-temperature reducibility applies in all cases. Relative to the glass transition, the master curves of the nonquaternized materials are identical. Melt flow in the quaternized materials is mildly retarded, the extent increasing with ion content. At the highest ion contents, the relaxation processes appear to be of Arrhenius type. As in the glass transition region, the ionic interactions in the plateau and terminal zones are thermally labile.