CONTROL OF INTERACTION STRENGTH IN HYDROGEN-BONDED POLYMER BLENDS VIATHE DENSITY OF THE HYDROXYL GROUP

Deuterium-labeled polystyrene modified by random distributions of the comonomer (1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-hydroxyisopropyl)-alpha- methylsty rene [DPS(OH)] has been blended with poly(butyl methacrylate) (PBMA) a nd studied with small-angle neutron scattering(SANS). Miscibility is i nduced via hydrogen bonding between the DPS(OH) hydroxyl group and PBM A carbonyl groups. As the density of the hydroxyl group increases, the susceptibilities of the related blends decrease, while those of the p ure DPS(OH) increase. The extrapolated spinodal temperature increases linearly with comonomer density, and the hydrogen-bond enthalpy deduce d from the SANS data is in good agreement with previously reported val ues.