| Abstract: | The thermal properties of an ionomer glass, lightly sulfonated polystyrene, was studied as a function of aging at room temperature after being cooled from the melt. An anomalous endothermic event below Tg was observed by differential scanning calorimetry; the intensity of this excess enthalpy was a function of time and sulfonate concentration. It is suggested that the origin of this relaxation may be due in part to morphological changes that occur as a consequence of electrostatic interactions of the sulfonate groups. |
