Title

Calorimetric Study of Block-Copolymers of Poly(n-butyl acrylate) and Gradient Poly(n-butyl acrylate-co-methyl methacrylate)

Author Info

A I. Buzin, University of Tennessee - Knoxville
M Pyda, University of Tennessee - Knoxville
P Costanzo, Carnegie Mellon UniversityFollow
K Matyjaszewski, Carnegie Mellon University
B Wunderlich, University of Tennessee - Knoxville

Recommended Citation

Postprint version. Published in Polymer, Volume 43, Issue 20, January 1, 2002, pages 5563-5569.

NOTE: At the time of publication, the author Philip Costanzo was not yet affiliated with Cal Poly.

The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1016/S0032-3861(02)00358-0.

Abstract

The nanophase separation in diblock and triblock copolymers consisting of immiscible poly(n-butyl acrylate) (block A) and gradient copolymers of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and n-butyl acrylate (n BA) (block M/A) were investigated by means of their heat capacity, C_p, as a function of the composition of the blocks M/A and temperature. In all copolymers studied, both blocks are represented by their C_p and glass transition temperature, T_g, as well as the broadening of the transition-temperature range. The low-temperature transition of the blocks A is always close to that of the pure poly(n-butyl acrylate) and is independent of the analyzed compositions of the block copolymer, but broadened asymmetrically relative to the homopolymer due to the small phase size. The higher transition is related to the glass transition of the copolymer block of composition M/A. Besides the asymmetric broadening of the transition due to the phase separation, it decreases in T_g and broadens, in addition, symmetrically with increasing acrylate content. The concentration gradient is not able to introduce a further phase separation with a third glass transition inside the M/A block.

Disciplines

Biochemistry | Chemistry

Copyright

2002 Elsevier.