Interfacial Reaction Induced Disruption and Dissolution of Dynamic Polymer Networks.

The reaction of amine-terminated polystyrene (PS-NH2 ) with an epoxy-based dynamic polymer networks (DPNs) above the topology freezing transition temperature of the DPN, results in the disruption of the network by the formation of graft copolymers at the interface between the linear homopolymer and the network. The rate of the disruption decreases with annealing time and is strongly dependent on the molecular weight of the PS-NH2 , with the lower molecular weight PS-NH2 reacting much more rapidly than the higher molecular weight PS-NH2 . A higher catalyst concentration in the DPN also promotes the interfacial reaction, indicating a reaction-rate-controlled process.