Poly[alkyl methacrylate-b-butadiene-b-alkyl methacrylate] Triblock Copolymers: Synthesis, Morphology, and Mechanical Properties at High Temperatures

Abstract

Block copolymers of the ABA type, where B is polybutadiene (PBD) and A is poly(ethyl methacrylate) (PEMA), poly(tert-butyl methacrylate) (P-t-BMA), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), or poly(isobornyl methacrylate) (PIBMA), have been successfully synthesized by sequential anionic polymerization of butadiene and methacrylates with the diadduct of tert-butyllithium to m-diisopropenylbenzene as a difunctional initiator. Block copolymers of a narrow molecular weight distribution (1.10) have been analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry, transmission electron microscopy, and dynamic mechanical analysis. These materials are phase-separated and have high mechanical performances. Special attention has been paid to the service temperature of these thermoplastic elastomers in comparison with a styrene−butadiene−styrene (SBS) triblock copolymer. The upper service temperature (UST) has been estimated from the temperature dependence of the tensile properties in the 25−150 °C range and found to change with the oute...