Synthesis and characterization of symmetrical triblock copolymers containing crystallizable high-trans-1,4-polybutadiene

A series of symmetrical triblock copolymers containing crystallizable high-trans-1,4-polybutadiene (HTPB) were synthesized by sequential anionic polymerization of 1,3-butadiene (Bd) with isoprene (Ip) (or styrene (St)) using barium salt of di(ethylene glycol) ethyl ether/triisobutylaluminium/dilithium (BaDEGEE/TIBA/DLi) as initiation system. The microstructures of the symmetrical triblock copolymers were determined by IR, 1H NMR, and 13C NMR. The results indicated that polyisoprene-block-high-trans-1,4-polybutadiene-block-polyisoprene (IBI) contained HTPB segments and medium 3,4-polyisoprene (PI) segments, and polystyrene-block-HTPB-block-polystrene (SBS) contained HTPB and atatic-polystyrene (PS) segments. The DSC analysis revealed that SBS tended to phase separate but IBI did not. The cold crystallization was observed in IBI but not in SBS.