Influence of Structure on Polymer-Liquid Interaction. II. Influence of Nitrile Groups

Abstract

Abstract Swelling equilibria of a number of copolymers in various organic solvents have already been discussed. The influence of polarity and polarizable groups has been derived from the gradual changes of swelling equilibria. We shall deal with the same problem in the present paper, but, by considering only nitrile groups in the polymer, the resulting picture becomes less complex. The polymers under investigation are the three series of copolymers from acrylonitrile, with butadiene, isoprene, and dimethylbutadiene, respectively. In each series, the mechanical properties change with nitrile concentration, as indicated by a gradual increase in brittleness. The combination of nitrile and methyl groups leads to a further immobilization of the flow units; the copolymers from dimethylbutadiene are, therefore, plastics at room temperature—as has been discussed in another paper.