Infrared-active SO stretching bands [ν(SO)] observed for
the sulfonated polyethylene (PE)
samples were found to change their vibrational frequencies
systematically depending on the degree of
the π-conjugated chain structure generated through the sulfonation
reaction and also on the sulfonate
ion species SO3X in the structure
[−CHCHCHCHCHC(SO3X)CC−...],
where X = H, Na, Li,
K, Ca, and Zn. For the sulfonated PE samples with
SO3Na groups, the ν(SO) band was found to shift
to
the higher frequency side as the conjugated chain length was increased.
When the π-conjugated chain
structure was modified by bromination reaction
(...−CCCCCCCC−... + Br2
→
...−CCCCCBrCBr−...), such a high-frequency shift was
canceled. The sulfonated PE samples
with SO3H groups, on the other hand, did not show any
high-frequency shift even for longer π-conjugated
chain structure but gave the ν(SO) bands at the position rather
close to those of the SO3Na species
coupled
with a short π-conjugated chain. These spectral changes were
confirmed also by measuring the spectral
changes for a series of the model compounds having the π-conjugated
structure combined with the SO3Na groups.