Examples of ionomers include polystyrenes, polyurethanes, polyacrylics and certain glasses. This book relates the molecular architecture and morphology of ionomers with their physical properties and applications, including, for example, the glass transition, mechanical properties of random styrene-based and other ionomers. This reference offers a brief discussion of materials with special architectures, such as blocks and telechelics, and concludes with a discussion of ionomer blends, applications, and unsolved problems.

This thoroughly revised and updated third edition is written by seven well-known authorities in the polymer science community. Each author contributes a chapter which reflects his own interests and expertise in the physical states and associated properties of polymers. Second Edition published by the American Chemical Society Hb (1993): 0-841-22505-2

Ionomers, that is polymers containing a low concentration of charged units along the chain, have been the subject of increasing interest during the past twenty years. The presence of ionic groups in the poly mer changes some of its properties dramatically. Increases in the modu lus and the viscosity of several orders of magnitude have been observed, and changes in the glass transition of hundreds of degrees are possible. In addition, diffusion coefficients can be modified drastically. These changes are due primarily to the presence of reversible ionic cross links in these materials. Because...