Intra- and intermolecular organization of sulfopolystyrene ionomers in solutions: Neutron scattering study

• Published in: Polymer Science. Series A Vol. 51; no. 4; pp. 372 - 380
• Main Authors: Lebedev, V. T., Mel’nikov, A. B., Vinogradova, L. V., Török, Gy
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht SP MAIK Nauka/Interperiodica 01.04.2009; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Hydrogen bonds; Neutrons; Polymer Sciences; Solutions; Polymer Science Series; Molecular Correlation; Ionogenic Group; Segment Size; Anionic Polymeriza Tion
• ISSN: 0965-545X; 1555-6107
• DOI: 10.1134/S0965545X09040026

Processes of self-organization of sulfonated PS with a low content of ionogenic groups in the acidic form (SO 3 H) in chloroform have been studied by cold neutron scattering. An analysis of spatial correlations of macromolecules shows that two factors (electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonds between SO 3 H groups) are responsible for the conformational transformation of ionomer chains to hollow structures of the type of spherical micelles with dense packing of SO 3 H groups in the shell stabilized by hydrogen bonds. At a moderate content of SO 3 H groups (2.6 mol %), micellar particles of ionomers form chain clusters composed of three to five particles. In solutions of ionomers with a higher content of ionogenic groups (∼4.5 mol %), highly ordered three-dimensional structures appear in the form of fragments of a simple cubic lattice with a constant equal to the diameter of micelles.