Abstract
AbstractPolybutadiene has widespread use as a commodity as well as a specialty polymer, but currently, it is prepared from non‐renewable feedstocks. Herein, we report the synthesis of rubbery unsaturated polycarbonates (RUPCs) as green alternatives for polybutadiene. We prepared two RUPCs (respectively, denoted as RUPC1 and RUPC2) via the copolymerization of carbon dioxide (CO2) and a mixture of saturated and unsaturated long‐chain epoxides using a Co(III) catalyst. The RUPCs were reacted with a styrene monomer via free‐radical polymerization to prepare RUPC‐graft‐Polystyrene. All of the prepared polymers were characterized by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography. For RUPC, the number average molecular weight (Mn) increased by three‐fold after the grafting reaction. Differential scanning calorimetry analysis confirmed that the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the RUPCs were low (~ −40°C) and approached those of polybutadienes. After polystyrene chains had been grafted onto the RUPC backbone, the Tg increased to 81°C. These green RUPCs have the potential to replace non‐renewable polybutadiene in some applications such as high impact materials.
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