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Synthesis and characterization of polylactide‐ block ‐polyisoprene‐ block ‐polylactide triblock copolymers: new thermoplastic elastomers containing biodegradable segments
Author(s) -
Frick Esther M.,
Hillmyer Marc A.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
macromolecular rapid communications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.348
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1521-3927
pISSN - 1022-1336
DOI - 10.1002/1521-3927(20001201)21:18<1317::aid-marc1317>3.0.co;2-b
Subject(s) - copolymer , polymer chemistry , thermoplastic elastomer , materials science , telechelic polymer , anionic addition polymerization , polymerization , ether , molar mass distribution , isoprene , end group , polymer , chemistry , organic chemistry , composite material
Anionic polymerization of isoprene initiated by an alkyl lithium containing a silyl ether protected hydroxyl functionality followed by termination with ethylene oxide gave α,ω‐functionalized polyisoprene with narrow molecular weight distribution and prescribed molecular weight in high yield. Deprotection resulted in α,ω‐hydroxyl polyisoprene (HO‐PI‐OH) that was reacted with triethylaluminium to form the corresponding aluminium alkoxide macroinitiator. The macroinitiator was used for the controlled polymerization of lactide to yield polylactide‐ block ‐polyisoprene‐ block ‐polylactide triblock copolymers with narrow molecular weight distributions and free of homopolymer (HO‐PI‐OH) contamination. Microphase separation in these novel triblock copolymers was confirmed by SAXS and DSC.