Synthesis and characterization of block copolyetheresters with poly(tetramethylene 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylate) segments

The block copolyetheresters with hard segments of poly(tetramethylene 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylate) and soft segments of poly(tetramethylene oxide) were prepared by melt polycondensation of dimethyl 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylate, 1,4-butanediol, and poly(tetramethylene ether) glycol (PTMEG) with molecular weights of 650, 1000, and 2000. The block copolymers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared and ¹H-NMR spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and X-ray diffraction. The block copolymer compositions were governed by the charge molar ratio (x) of PTMEG to dimethyl 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylate. It was found that the thermal transitions were dependent on the compositions. As x increases, T_m and ΔH_m of the polyester segments decrease due to the decrease in the sequence length. The X-ray diffraction data also indicate that the crystallinity of the polyester segments decreased as x increased. The molecular weight of the PTMEG used has a significant influence on the glass transition temperature (T_g) and the crystallizability of the polyether segments. The polyether segments of block copolymers derived from PTMEG 2000 could crystallize after cooling and showed a T_g of about −67°C, independent of x. However, the polyether segments of copolymers derived from PTMEG 1000 and PTMEG 650 could not crystallize, and the T_g of the polyether segments decreased as x increased. This is described as the difference in the miscibility between amorphous parts of the polyether segments and those of the polyester segments. The TGA results indicate that the composition had little effect on the nonisothermal thermal degradation under nitrogen. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 66: 1411–1418, 1997