Miscible blends of zinc‐neutralized sulfonated polystyrene and poly(2,6‐dimethyl 1,4‐phenylene oxide)

Zinc‐neutralized sulfonated polystyrene ionomers (ZnSPS) and poly(2,6‐dimethyl 1,4‐phenylene oxide) homopolymer (PXE) form miscible blends up to at least 7.8 mol % sulfonation, as measured by thermal and mechanical criteria. The addition of an equal weight of PXE raises the glass transition temperature of ZnSPS by 40–50°C. However, this miscibility is not achieved by eradicating the microdomain structure present in ZnSPS, even though the PXE coils are considerably larger than the spacings between ionic aggregates. Small‐angle x‐ray scattering indicates that while the average interaggregate spacing is roughly the same in ZnSPS and its 50/50 blend with PXE at a given sulfonation level, the extent of phase separation is reduced upon PXE addition, indicating that more ionic groups are dispersed in the matrix. Factors influencing miscibility in the ZnSPS/PXE materials and related blends are discussed.