Interdiffusion measurements of modified poly(arylether sulfone)s using nuclear reaction analysis

Abstract

The interdiffusion and miscibility behavior of three different types of modified poly(arylether sulfone)s with deuterated poly(arylether sulfone) is studied by depth profiling using the nuclear reaction D(3He, α)p. The diffusion coefficients are found to be in the range of 10−15 and 10−14 cm2/s at 195°C. A random copolymer of poly(arylether sulfone) containing 4,4-bis-(4′-hydroxyphenyl)valeric acid units is only partially miscible with deuterated poly(arylether sulfone) when the comonomer content is 8.8 mol %, whereas blends with comonomer contents of 1.7 and 4.5 mol % are miscible as indicated by complete interdiffusion. The transition from miscibility to immiscibility is caused by repulsive interactions of copolymer segments and can be explained in terms of a mean-field theory of random copolymer blends. Also, poly(arylether sulfone)s grafted with 0.4 wt % maleic anhydride or having pyromellitic anhydride endgroups are miscible with deuterated poly(arylether sulfone)s. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35: 2083–2091, 1997