The present work studied the role of the polar group unconjugated oxygen on the inhibition of positronium (Ps) formation in two binary blends made from a set of chosen constituent polymers with polar and weakly polar groups (nonpolar). The polymer blend samples of PVC-EVA and PVC-SAN were investigated by coincidence Doppler broadening and positron lifetime techniques. The strong polar acetate group in the EVA contributed to positron annihilation with electrons of unconjugated oxygen (–C${}^{+}$=O${}^{-}$) as revealed by the momentum distribution curves peaking around 17 $P_L$ (10${}^{-3}$ $m_{0}c$). The ortho-Ps intensity indicated the unconjugated oxygen shows about a 28$\%$ Ps reduction even in the presence of a strong Ps inhibiting halogen (Cl${}^{-}$). In contrast, this effect was not seen in the PVC-SAN blends since SAN contains a weakly polar (nonpolar) acrylonitrile group (C≡N). Our results indicate the chlorine of PVC in the blends is a major contributor to Ps inhibition through the formation of a (Cl${}^{-}$-$e^{+)}$ bound state but the unconjugated oxygen in EVA of the PVC-EVA blend also plays a similar, but lesser, role.

• Received 2 March 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.87.052602