Miscibility and interpolymer complexation of poly(1-vinylimidazole) with hydroxyl- and carboxyl-containing polymers

The miscibility of poly(1-vinylimidazole) (PVI) with some hydroxyl- and car boxyl-containing polymers was studied. Each of the binary blends or complex es of PVI with poly(p-vinylphenol) (PVPh), poly(2-hydroxypropyl methacrylat e) (PHPMA) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) showed a single glass transition te mperature (T-g), indicating miscibility. However, PVI is immiscible with po ly(styrene-co-allyl alcohol) (SAA) and poly(hydroxyether of bisphenol-A) (P henoxy) as shown by the appearance of two T-g's in each of the blends. Base d on the frequency shifts of the hydroxyl band of the hydroxyl-containing p olymers, the intensities of hydrogen bonding interactions between PVI and h ydroxyl-containing polymers are in the order PVPh > PHPMA > SAA and Phenoxy . PVI interacts with PAA via ionic interaction.