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Synthesis and Microphase Separation of PS‐ b ‐P(MA‐ alt ‐St) Block Copolymers and Their Ionomers for the Design of Polymer Crystallization Nucleation Agents
Author(s) -
Xing Shili,
Li Rui,
Tang Ping
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
macromolecular chemistry and physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.57
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1521-3935
pISSN - 1022-1352
DOI - 10.1002/macp.201400444
Subject(s) - materials science , polymer chemistry , copolymer , crystallization , nucleation , polymerization , polymer , chain transfer , chemical engineering , maleic anhydride , differential scanning calorimetry , polystyrene , chemistry , radical polymerization , composite material , organic chemistry , physics , engineering , thermodynamics
Several well‐controlled polystyrene‐ block ‐poly(styrene‐ alt ‐maleic anhydride) (PS‐ b ‐P(St‐ alt ‐MA)) functionalized block copolymers (BCs) and their sodium salt ionomers with different block ratios and molecular weights are synthesized through two‐step reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The atomic force microscopy (AFM) images and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results reveal that the prepared BCs and their ionomers microphase separate into various nanostructures depending on the block ratios. By taking advantage of the formation of amphiphilic nanostructures via the microphase, the block ionomers serve as nucleation agents to improve the crystallization rate of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET). The crystallization behavior of PET upon the addition of block ionomers is investigated isothermally and non‐isothermally by DSC. The results show that the block ionomers can effectively accelerate the crystallization rate of PET, which strongly depends on the molecular weights and block ratios