Difunctional initiator based on 1,3-diisopropenylbenzene .4. Synthesis and modification of poly(alkyl methacrylate-b-styrene-b-butadiene-b-styrene-b-alkyl methacrylate (MSBSM) thermoplastic elastomers

MSBSM five-block copolymers where B stands for butadiene, S for styrene, and Ni for either methyl methacrylate (MMA) or tert-butyl methacrylate (tBMA) have been synthesized by sequential anionic polymerization in an apolar solvent by using a difunctional anionic initiator derived from 1,3-diisopropenylbenzene. These block copolymers show improved mechanical properties and an extended service temperature compared to traditional SBS thermoplastic elastomers. Upon hydrolysis and further neutralization of the PolytBMA end-blocks, the upper glass transition temperature (T-g) of the five-block copolymers has been raised up to about 150 degrees C. A further increase in this service temperature (up to ca. 160 degrees C) has resulted from the blending of sPMMA-SBS-sPMMA five-block copolymers with isotactic poly(methacrylate) (iPMMA), due to the formation of a stereocomplex. The tensile properties of these modified five-block copolymers have remained essentially unchanged. (C) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.