Sulfonated EPDM ionomers based

Reference 7 reviews a number of electron microscopy studies of ionomer morphology in the period up to 1979. None of these studies makes a convincing case for the direct imaging of ionic clusters. This is because of the small size of the clusters (less than 5 nm based on scattering studies) and difficulties encountered in sample preparation. The entire problem was reexamined in 1980(21). In this study ionomers based on ethylene-methacrylic acid copolymers, sulfonated polypentenamer, sulfonated polystyrene and sulfonated ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM) were examined. The transfer theory of imaging was used to interpret the results. Solvent casting was found to produce no useful information about ionic clusters, and microtomed sections showed no distinct domain structure even in ionomers neutralized with cesium. Microtomed sections of sulfonated EPDM, however,... 

A thermopolastic elastomer based on sulfonated-EPDM, S-EPDM, was developed in the 1970 s by Exxon and more recently by Uniroyal. Unlike the synthesis of the carboxylate ionomers described above, S-EPDM is prepared by a post-polymerization sulfonatlon reaction(28). Compared to the metal neutralized S-EPDM, the sulfonic acid derivative is not highly associated. The free acid materials possess low strengths and are less thermally stable. The metal salts of S-EPDM have properties comparable to crosslInked elastomers, but they do exhibit viscous flow at elevated temperatures. In the absence of a polar cosolvent, such as methanol, hydrocarbon solutions of the metal salts of S-EPDM are solid gels at polymer concentrations above several percent(31). With the addition of 1 to 5% alcohol the polymer solution becomes fluid with solution viscosities of the order of 10 to 100 poise. 

The composition and structure of the base EPDM and the sulfonate content of the metal sulfonate-containing EPDM exert substantial effects on the mechanical and flow properties of ionomers. The systems discussed to this point have all contained zinc sulfonate groups. In terms of melt flow the zinc cation is the cation of choice. The metal cation borne by... 

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