Morphology of a blend of zinc neutralized sulfonated poly(phenylene oxide) or polystyrene and an amino silicone

A polymer blend of an ionomer based on zinc neutralized sulfonated poly(phenylene oxide) or polystyrene with a silicone copolymer containing 6.45% propylamine groups in place of one of the methyl groups on a backbone silicon was prepared. Carbon-13 magic angle spinning spectra show coordination of the amine, by the zinc ions. Morphological characterization was made by NMR spectroscopy based on proton spin diffusion, by small angle x-ray scattering and by energy filtered transmission electron microscopy. All experiments show domains in the range of 1 to 1000 nm and domain size can be controlled by the extent of coordination of the amine groups by the zinc ions and by thermal history. The different lead to an apparent hierarchy of domain sizes. The NMR domains, 2 to 10 nm, where contrast is produced by differences in chain mobility. Small angle x-ray scattering indicates domains of 16 nm while electron in the range of 100 to 1000 nm. The variation of the domain size between experiments may reflect the different sources of contrast in each cam.