Mechanical relaxation in miscible polymer systems: the glass transition regime in poly(vinylmethylether) (PVME)-cross-polystyrene (PS) semi-interpenetrating networks

Abstract Miscible semi-interpenetrating polymer networks (semi-IPN) of varying composition are prepared by crosslinking polystyrene containing few maleic anhydride groups with a diamine in the presence of linear poly(vinylmethylether) (PVME). The resulting PVME-c-P(ScoMA) semi-IPNs are characterized by their thermal and thermomechanical behaviour. Comparison with the corresponding uncrosslinked material proves that weak crosslinking has a negligible effect on the location of the glass transition as measured by d.s.c. Both the Tg data and the temperatures of the loss modulus maximum E″ (at 1 rad/s) show the same non-linear curved composition dependence. Contrary to this the tan δ maximum var…