Abstract: | Polystyrene-co-4-hydroxymethylstyrene ionomers (2.5–19.4 mol%) were prepared from the partial chloromethylation of polystyrene, followed by esterification, saponification, and finally neutralization. The physical properties of the ionomers as well as their nonionic precursors were studied by calorimetry, torsion pendulum, and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). SAXS and torsion pendulum studies show no evidence of extensive clustering. |