SAXS STUDY OF SOLUTIONS OF TELECHELIC POLYMERS IN NONPOLAR-SOLVENTS

Influence of both polymer molecular weight and concentration, and solu tion preparation on the SAXS profile of omega- and alpha,omega-metal s ulfonato 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-group s are phase-separated into small multiplets which act as physical cros slinks. Size of the multiplets does not depend on polymer molecular we ight and concentration. Multiplets are homogeneously distributed throu ghout the polymer matrix, and organized in a liquid-like manner. Difun ctional samples obey the same general behavior but only above a critic al concentration which depends on the chain molecular weight. Although the position of the ionic peak is independent of the sample preparati on, shape and intensity are clearly related to the large-scale heterog eneity of solutions.