Effects of Soy Protein on the Crystallization and Dielectric Properties of PEG/PEG Copolymers

The effects of SP on the crystallization and dielectric properties of PEG and PE-b-PEG are studied. POM, SEM, DSC, FTIR, and dielectric spectroscopy are used to analyze the interaction between PEG and SP. The results indicate that the involvement of the nonpolar hydrophobic PE block improves the compatibility between PEG and SP. The melting temperature and crystallinity of the PEG block in the copolymer decrease by 85 and 81%, respectively. In contrast, the melting peak does not show any shift and the crystallinity decreases only slightly (less than 6%) in pure PEG. Concomitant with the increase in the amorphous characteristics of the polymer, there is a strong decrease in the dielectric constant in the blend of copolymer and SP, indicating a strong interaction between SP and copolymer.