MULTIBLOCK COPOLYMERS CONSISTING OF POLYOLEFIN AND POLYESTER BLOCKS .1. THERMAL AND MECHANICAL-BEHAVIOR

Three -(AB)(n)- type multiblock copolymers, consisting of soft segments of polyolefin and hard segments of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), were synthesized through melt polycondensation by reacting a hydrogenated hydroxy-terminated polybutadiene and dimethyl terephthalate with a stoichiometric excess of ethylene glycol. The synthesized copolymers are not soluble in toluene, m-xylene, m-cresol or phenol/tetrachloroethane because of the very different solubility behaviour of the two incompatible blocks. These copolymers exhibit two clear melting temperatures as determined by differential scanning calorimetry and two glass transition temperatures as observed by dynamic mechanical analysis. The melting temperatures of the polyolefin and PET blocks increase with increasing weight fraction of the corresponding block. The glass transition temperatures of the polyolefin and PET blocks are around - 17 degrees C and 79 degrees C, respectively. As the PET weight fraction is decreased to 15%, its glass transition temperature (tan delta peak) becomes broader because of interference by the melting transition of the polyolefin block.