ISSN:
0887-624X
Keywords:
thermoplastic elastomer
;
carbocationic polymerization
;
polyisobutylene
;
living polymerization
;
Chemistry
;
Polymer and Materials Science
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Chemistry and Pharmacology
Notes:
New linear triblock thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) comprising a rubbery polyisobutylene (PIB) midblock flanked by two glassy endblocks of various styrenic polymers have been synthesized by living carbocationic polymerization by sequential monomer addition. First isobutylene (IB) was polymerized by a bifunctional tert-ether (dicumyl methyl ether) initiator in conjunction with TiCl4 coinitiator in CH3Cl/methylcyclohexane (MeCHx) (40/60 v/v) solvent mixtures at -80°C. After the living narrow molecular weight distribution PIB midblock ($\[\bar M_n\]$ = 1.1-1.2) has reached the desired molecular weight, the styrenic monomers together with an electron pair donor (ED) and a proton trap (di-tert-butylpyridine, DtBP) were added to start the blocking of the glassy segments from the living ⊕PIB⊕ chain ends. While p-methylstyrene (pMeSt), p-t-butylstyrene (ptBuSt) and indene (In) gave essentially 100% blocking to the corresponding glassy endblocks, the blocking of 2,4,6-trimethylstyrene (TMeSt) and α-methylstyrene (αMeSt) were ineffective. Uncontrolled initiation by protic impurities was prevented by the use of DtBP. In the simultaneous presence of DtBP and the strong ED N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMA), TPEs with good mechanical properties (10-20 MPa tensile strength, 300-600% elongation) were prepared. The products exhibit a low and a high temperature Tg characteristic of phase separated rubbery and glassy domains. The service temperature of these new TPEs exceeds that of PSt-PIB-PSt triblock copolymers due to the higher Tgs (PpMeSt = 108, PptBuSt = 142 and PIn = 220-240°C) of the outer blocks. The Tg of the glassy blocks can be regulated by copolymerizing two styrene derivatives; a triblock copolymer with outer blocks of poly(pt-butylstyrene-co-indene) showed a single glassy transition Tg = +165°C, i.e., in between that of PptBuSt and PIn. Virgin TPEs have been repeatedly compression molded without deterioration of physical properties. The high melt flow index obtained with a TPE containing PptBuSt endblocks suggests superior processability relative to those with PSt end-blocks. The tensile strength retention at 60°C of the former TPE is far superior to that of a PSt-PIB-PSt triblock of similar composition.
Additional Material:
4 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pola.1992.080300105
