Possibilities for Intermolecular Layer Strengthening Inside Microgeterogeneous Systems of Styrene-Acrylonitrile Copolymer – Polystyrene

Abstract

In binary polymeric compositions the polymer-polymer interaction was significantly affected by low molecular weight substance (LMWS) localized at the interphase layer (IPL). In this case LMWS can serve as compatibilizer of system. The systems “copolymer AB – homopolymer B”, were B – is nonpolar component,are suitable models to study the redistribution processes of intermolecular forces at the polymer-polymer interfaces. It is the compositions with non-polar components form the developed IPL. It is known that mixtures that contain polystyrene component can form structures with the content of the IPL around ∼20%. On the other hand, interphase layers formed by nonpolar polymers are not strong. There is a problem to increase the intensity of intermolecular interaction in these layers. It is known that the styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers (SAN) - polystyrene (PS) systems (SAN-PS) are systems with limited compatibility between components. Interaction in the interphase layer of such mixtures is provided by the π-π electron conjugation of the phenyl rings of SAN and PS. But the phenyl groups of macromolecule cannot effectively interact with the corresponding groups of other macromolecule, also they cannot show distinct coplanarity that are necessary for the formation of π-π complexes. In our opinion, there is a possibility of coplanarity correction due to addition of the third component - LMWS, in particular the low molecular weight arene [1]