Abstract
The rheological and mechanical (tensile) properties of ethylene methacrylic acid (EMAA) ionomers neutralized by Na, Li, and Zn are investigated in binary combinations of two pure ionomers with different counterions. Molecular weight, methacrylic acid content, degree of neutralization, and ion type are tested as experimental parameters to investigate the composition that leads to the largest enhancement in rheological and mechanical properties. Binary cation blend components with low molecular weight and high neutralization reveal enhancement in rheological and mechanical properties beyond a linear mixing combination of material properties such as zero-shear viscosity, relaxation time, and Young’s modulus. The sticky reptation model is applied to EMAA ionomer blends of binary counterions to calculate the timescales of chain dynamics delayed by ionic associations. The ionic clusters of binary cations have longer-lasting ionic associations forming a reinforced reversible crosslink network. The experimental analysis consists of linear and nonlinear viscoelastic experiments, uniaxial extension, and dynamic mechanical analysis, which reveal the conditions and extent of synergism seen in binary EMAA ionomer blends.
Published Version
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