MISCIBILITY OF BROMOBENZYLATED POLY(2,6-DIMETHYL-1,4-PHENYLENE OXIDE) WITH POLYSTYRENE.

Abstract

Poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (PPO) can be brominated at either the benzene ring or the methyl group depending on reaction conditions. Methyl-brominated PPO, or bromobenzylated PPO, is commonly used as a presursor polymer for further reactions to incorporate other functional groups into PPO. The thermal properties and miscibility behavior of ring-brominated PPO have been studied, but similar studies of bromobenzylated PPO receive scant attention. We report the miscibility of bromobenzylated PPO (BrPPO) with polystyrene (PS). The results indicate that as the degree of bromination increases, the intensity of polymer-polymer interaction between PS and BrPPO decreases and eventually the blend becomes immiscible.