Poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide)(PPO) was sulfonated to varying degrees using chlorosulfonic acid as a sulfonating agents. Sulfonated PPO(SPPO) ionomers with low sulfonation degree were characterized by using FTIR, 13^C NMR and acid-base titration. In addition, physical properties such as solubility, thermal properties and mechanical properties were studied. SPPO ionomers become soluble in polar solvent with the increase of sulfonation degree. The glass transition temperature(T_g) increases linearly with sulfonation degree Elongation of SPPO ionomers were highly enhanced with incorporation of ionic portion. A new transition at lower temperature, which might be due to ionic domain, was also monitored by dynamic mechanical analysis.

Poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenyene oxide)(PPO)는 클로로술폰산을 술폰화제로 사용하여 다양한 술폰화도로 술폰화하였다. 대체로 낮은 술폰화도를 갖는 술폰화된 PPO 아이오노머 (SPPO는 FTIR, 13^C NMR 및 산·염기 적정을 통하여 구조와 조성을 조사하였으며 용해도, 열적·기계적 성질 등에 관한 연구를 실행하였다. 연구결과, SPPO 아이오노머는 술폰화도가 증가함에 따라 극성용매에 대한 용해도가 증가하였으며, 유리전이온도(T_g) 또한 선형적으로 증가하였다. 한편, SPPO 아이오노머의 신장율은 현저한 증가를 보였고, DMA에 관찰된 새로운 전이가 T_g보다 약간 낮은 온도에서 관찰되었다.

Keywords: ionomer; sulfonation; ionic domain; transition