Effect of nano ribbons formed by the amide segment on the solvent resistivity of segmented block copolymers based on polystyrene

A segmented block copolymer is synthesized using dihydroxy terminated polystyrene (PSt) (M_W = 2,500 g/mol) and crystallizable amide segments. PSt length in the copolymer is varied from 2,500 to 10,000 g/mol using dimethylterephthalate (T). Amide segment is synthesized in situ using diamine‐diamide 6X6 (X = A or T) (synthesized by dimethylterepthalate T], adipic acid A], and hexamethylenediamine 6]) and T. This work is to modify the high T_g amorphous PSt to a semicrystalline copolymers (‐(PSt‐T)_y‐6X6‐T‐)‐_n). These copolymers have a very high inherent viscosity and depending on the amide concentration, the melting temperature of the polymers was ranged between 129°C and 248°C. The crystallinity of the amide segments is up to 75%. The AFM analysis showed the presence of crystalline ribbons with a high aspect ratio. All the polymers show single stage decomposition temperature centered around 420°C. The solvent resistivity of these materials is very high even at a low concentration of (5 wt%) amide content. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 58:361–368, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers