Extensibility and recovery in a crystalline-rubbery-crystalline triblock copolymer

Sasha B. Myers, Richard A. Register

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

26 Scopus citations

Abstract

The synthesis, morphological characterization, and deformation behavior of a triblock copolymer containing linear polyethylene (LPE) end blocks and a hydrogenated polyhexylnorbornene (hPHN) midblock are presented. The block copolymer forms a homogeneous melt; upon cooling, LPE crystallization creates a lamellar structure consisting of alternating "hard" semicrystalline LPE domains and "soft" rubbery hPHN domains, imparting thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) behavior to the material. At 20 wt % LPE, the triblock shows a low modulus, high ultimate strain, and excellent strain recovery compared with other crystalline-block TPEs. Though the LPE crystals fragment upon deformation, the interposing hPHN layers hinder LPE fragments originating in different layers from fusing together, preserving the memory of the original domain morphology to high strains.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)6665-6670
Number of pages6
JournalMacromolecules
Volume42
Issue number17
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 8 2009

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Organic Chemistry
  • Polymers and Plastics
  • Inorganic Chemistry
  • Materials Chemistry

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