Determination of Bromine Levels in Brominated Polystyrenes and Poly(2,6-Dimethyl-1,4-Phenylene Oxide)s

Brominated copolymers of polystyrene and poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) are highly useful for polymer blend miscibility studies. Bromine levels in these copolymers have been measured with the use of ¹³C NMR and titration methods. The methods have been evaluated with respect to speed, accuracy, and precision, as well as structural information provided by the technique. Although better precision is obtained with the titration method, the NMR method produces adequate data for these studies. In addition, ¹³C NMR provides information about the sequencing in the polymer chain from which the randomness of the copolymer can be determined.