| Abstract: | Near Infrared (NIR) spectroscopy coupled with chemometrics techniques were utilized to study the composition and properties of styrene-sodium methacrylate ionomers. Predictive models were obtained for mol % ionic content, as well as for the ionic cluster glass transition temperature, storage modulus, and tan δ peak parameters. The results illustrate the feasibility of using NIR and chemometrics algorithms as a property predictive tool, as well as the potential for the development of full calibration models. The chemometric parameters are discussed based on correlations with ionomer NIR spectral features and the role water molecules play as a probe for the associated structure of the ionomer. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 36: 2877–2886, 1998 |
