Synthesis, characterization, and viscoelastic behavior of single‐phase interpenetrating polystyrene networks

Single phase interpenetrating polystyrene networks were synthesized using a room temperature photopolymerization method. Divinylbenzene was used for crosslinking both networks in most cases; a few IPNs were prepared using acrylic acid anhydride to provide labile crosslinkages in the primary network. The IPNs were characterized by means of equilibrium swelling in toluene. The results of these experiments closely approached the predictions of a swelling equation derived under the assumption that the two networks were elastically independent. Deviations from the swelling equation predictions could be explained in terms of contributions from internetwork entanglements. Small amplitude dynamic mechanical measurements indicated that the presence of the small amount (∼10 percent) of tight primary network chains had no perceptible effect on the linear viscoelastic properties.