Abstract
In this article, we reported the effects of the addition of various aliphatic diamines (ADAs) on the dynamic mechanical properties of poly(styrene-co-styrenesulfonic acid) copolymers. It was found that the ionic modulus decreased with increasing chain length of ADAs but increased for the ADA12-containing ionomers. Upon the neutralization of the copolymers with ADAs, a minor change in the size and position of the matrix loss tangent peak was observed. However, the position of the cluster loss tangent peaks shifted to lower temperatures, and the shift rate depended on the chain length of ADAs. Thus, it was suggested that the ADAs acted mainly as preferential plasticizer for the cluster regions. In addition, the effect of the amount of ADA on the difference between the matrix and cluster temperatures of the ionomers was strongest than that of the type of ADA or ion content. The X-ray peak of ADA12 suggested that the ADA12 acted both as plasticizer and as filler. (c) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013