Segmented block copolymers based on poly(butylene terephthalate) and telechelic polyesters and polyamides of dimerized fatty acids

Abstract

Segmented block copolymers (SBCs) based on poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) and telechelics based on dimerized fatty acids have been synthesized in the melt. The dimerized fatty acids were coupled with diols or diamines to synthesize polyesters and polyamides of low molar mass. With these telechelic polyesters and polyamides we studied the influence of the different types of blocks and the block length on thermal transitions with differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis. The melting behaviour was compared to an SBC based on a dimerized fatty acid ( M n = 565 g mol −1) and PBT. Neither the compositions of the SBCs nor the block lengths of the telechelic polyesters and polyamides seemed to be of influence on the melting behaviour. The glass transition temperatures ( T g values) of the SBCs based on the telechelic polyester decreased, while the T g of the SBC based on the primary polyamide increased. Higher reaction temperatures and longer reaction times increased T g, owing to transesterification reactions in the melt.