Contact charging of coatings of ionomer/polymer blends

Contact charge experiments using successive single contacts with a metal contact were performed on coatings of polystyrene-co-butyl methacrylate blends containing a pyridinium toluenesulfonate ionomer or a partially sulfonated polystyrene copolymer. The charging response to the ion pair content of the coatings was similar to the response reported for powders with the same compositions, which were charged by rolling the powders with metal beads. In general, an increase in the charging capacity of the coatings was observed after a mild thermal treatment. Exposure of the coatings to an oxygen plasma treatment had a large effect on the charging capacity of the coatings containing the partially sulfonated polymer, and only a small effect on the coatings containing the pyridinium toluenesulfonate ionomer.