"Preparation of trans-1,4-polybutadiene-block-polymethyl methacrylate based on coordinative chain transfer polymerization"

Abstract

"High trans-1,4-selective coordination chain transfer polymerization of butadiene was achieved through the catalysis of isopropoxyl neodymium/n-butyl magnesium catalyst system, the non-polar-polar diblock copolymer of trans-1,4-polybutadiene and polymethyl methacrylate （TPB-b-PMMA) was prepared after the addition of polar monomer methyl methacrylate（MMA）, and molecular weight and its distribution, microstructure, and surface morphology and micromorphology of the block copolymer thin film were characterized by gel permeation chromatography（GPC）, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, atomic force microscope, and transmission electron microscope. The results indicated that GPC curve of the obtained block copolymer showed single peak and the molecular weight distribution were relatively narrow （polydispersity index less than 2.5); the mole fraction of trans-1,4- unit of trans-1,4-polybutadiene segment in block copolymers was 95.8% and the mole fraction of MMA unit could be controlled within the range of 10.9% to 39.7%; the semicrystalline block copolymer thin film had a phase separation morphology with a cylindrical micro domain size of 25 nm. "

Keywords

• coordination chain transfer polymerization， trans-1
• 4-polybutadiene， polymethyl me- thacrylate，non-polar-polar block copolymer， phase separation morphology，