Cooperative structure formation by combination of covalent and association chain polymers: 4. Designing functional groups for supramolecular structure formation

Abstract

A small number of polar functional groups are attached to polybutadiene by a polymer analogous reaction. Depending on their molecular structure, different degrees of supramolecular ordering result from the aggregation of these polar groups. In the case of phenylurazole units, which carry a single site for hydrogen-bond complexation, binary contacts are formed; whereas linear association chain structures are formed in the case of polybutadiene carrying phenylurazole units additionally substituted with a carboxy group in meta or para positions of the phenyl ring. In the latter case, association chains aggregate cooperatively to an ordered supramolecular structure. The different structural features are evident in the stress-strain properties of these thermoplastic elastomers.