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Synthesis and block‐specific complexation of poly(ethylene oxide)–poly(tetrahydrofuran)–poly(ethylene oxide) triblock copolymers
Author(s) -
Witte Inge C. De,
Goethals Eric J.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
polymers for advanced technologies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.61
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1099-1581
pISSN - 1042-7147
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-1581(199905)10:5<287::aid-pat877>3.0.co;2-f
Subject(s) - copolymer , materials science , ethylene oxide , polymer chemistry , differential scanning calorimetry , thermoplastic elastomer , tetrahydrofuran , melting point , ethylene glycol , oxide , chemical engineering , polymer , composite material , organic chemistry , chemistry , physics , solvent , metallurgy , engineering , thermodynamics
Well‐defined ABA triblock copolymers in which A stands for poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and B for poly(tetrahydrofuran) (PTHF) were synthesized by end‐capping bifunctionally living PTHF with different polyethylene glycol–monomethylethers. Differential scanning calorimetry analysis of these copolymers showed two melting points: one around 55 °C due to the PEO blocks, and one around 30 °C due to the PTHF segments, demonstrating that these block copolymers show extensive phase separation. Upon addition of sodium thiocyanate, crystalline complexes with PEO were formed and as a consequence, the melting points of the PEO segments had shifted to approximately 170 °C, whereas the melting points of the PTHF segments decreased slightly. The obtained materials behave as thermoplastic elastomers up to 160–175 °C. The influence of the relative lengths of the PEO and the PTHF segments on the thermal and mechanical properties of the materials have been investigated. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.