Influence of electron‐donor‐acceptor complex formation on the melt viscosity of some poly(dimethylsiloxane)s

A series of poly(dimethylsiloxane)s was synthesized containing either electron donor or electron acceptor groups, statistically arranged along the polymer chain or only at the chain ends (telechelic polymers). Blending of the donor and acceptor modified statistical copolymers led to a strong increase of the melt viscosity as a consequence of complex formation. In contrast to this, complex formation had no significant influence on the viscosity in blends from telechelic polymers. This different behaviour seems to be caused by the different molecular architecture favouring crosslinking by complex formation for the statistical copolymers and a linear chain extension for the telechelic polymers.