Polysulfone (PSU) and Polyethersulfone (PESU) are rigid rod polymers with high thermal, chemical and hydrolytic stability. These properties have led to applications such as filtration membranes, medical devices, and high performance composites where surface and interfacial properties are critical to performance. Current studies focus on the surface modifications of these polymers, while the structural basis of the macroscopic properties of <i>unmodified</i> sulfone polymers is not fully understood. Additionally, there is still a lack of establish models to explain the effect of solvent on the surface properties of semi-rigid/rigid rod polymer films. A fundamental understanding of the relationship between the surface properties of the polymer films and the solutions from which they are cast could allow for easier processing and more cost effective procedures. This work investigates the effect of chemical structure and chain rigidity of PSU and PESU on the rheological data, surface tension parameters and surface morphology. Commercial polymers were fractionated into systems of varying molecular weight and narrowed molecular weight distribution and characterized via gel permeation chromatography. Solution rheology experiments were carried out in order to characterize the viscoelastic properties of the polymer solutions of varying concentration, molecular weight, and chemical structure. Surface morphology and surface energy of solution cast films was measured via atomic force microscopy and contact angle measurements. Results indicate that slight changes in chain rigidity and molecular weight have a significant effect on the rheological behavior of the polymer solutions and that these properties can be manipulated to control surface properties of the cast films.

Rheological and morphological characterization of fractionated rigid-rod sulfone polymers

249th National Meeting (2015)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.