Ionic forces in polymers.

This paper has reviewed several studies, particularly those performed on the phosphate polymers, in which ionic forces were important in determining the properties or behavior of the material. Only very few properties were investigated; among these were 1) the glass transitions as a function of the molecular weight, the nature of the terminal group, and the nature of the counterion, 2) the viscoelastic properties as a function of the counterion and 3) the viscoelastic relaxation mechanism, with specific emphasis on the separation of the α and x mechanisms. In this treatment, a deliberate attempt was made to present pertinent theories, insofar as they exist, but it seems evident that here as much work remains to be done as on the experimental level, if not more. A host of other properties remain to be investigated quantitatively, although a beginning has certainly been made. These include the effect of various types of ionic interactions on organic materials (Sect. I-B) including both crystalline and amorphous polymers. Only bulk properties have been discussed here, but although the literature on polyelectrolyte solutions is voluminous, the transition region between these two areas, i.e., that of the plasticized ionic polymers, again has not received its due attention, perhaps due to the difficulties encountered in both the theoretical and experimental approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]