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Alternating block copolymers based on polyamide‐12 and polycaprolactone
Author(s) -
Gube Andrea,
Jakisch Lothar,
Häußler Liane,
Schneider Konrad,
Voit Brigitte,
Böhme Frank
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
polymer international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.592
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1097-0126
pISSN - 0959-8103
DOI - 10.1002/pi.3162
Subject(s) - polycaprolactone , differential scanning calorimetry , polyamide , materials science , copolymer , polyester , crystallinity , thermoplastic , crystallization , composite material , dynamic mechanical analysis , ultimate tensile strength , polymer , phase (matter) , thermoplastic elastomer , polymer chemistry , chemical engineering , chemistry , organic chemistry , engineering , thermodynamics , physics
Abstract A series of alternating polyester/polyamide block copolymers were prepared by sequential conversion of hydroxy‐terminated polycaprolactone and amino‐terminated polyamide‐12 with a selectively reacting coupling agent. The thermal properties of the block copolymers were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic mechanical analysis. Mechanical properties were determined using tensile and impact tests. All polymers were phase‐separated, where the polyamide phase was semicrystalline in all compositions. Distinct crystallization of the polycaprolactone phase was observed only when the block length was greater than 2000 g mol −1 . Mechanical testing showed that the polymers behave in a manner similar to that of thermoplastic elastomers. In particular, samples with a high content of polycaprolactone showed high strain and good impact behaviour. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry