SAXS STUDY OF SOLUTIONS OF TELECHELIC POLYMERS IN NONPOLAR-SOLVENTS

Influence of both polymer molecular weight and concentration, and solution preparation on the SAXS profile of omega- and alpha,omega-metal sulfonato and carboxylato polystyrenes in toluene has been investigated. For sulfonated polymers, position of the ionic peak obeys a general law which allows the phase morphology to be predicted. Ionic end-groups are phase-separated into small multiplets which act as physical crosslinks. Size of the multiplets does not depend on polymer molecular weight and concentration. Multiplets are homogeneously distributed throughout the polymer matrix, and organized in a liquid-like manner. Difunctional samples obey the same general behavior but only above a critical concentration which depends on the chain molecular weight. Although the position of the ionic peak is independent of the sample preparation, shape and intensity are clearly related to the large-scale heterogeneity of solutions.