Dynamic mechanical and morphological studies of homopolymer/block copolymer blends

A triblock copolymer of styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) was blended with a high and a low molecular weight polybutadiene [designated as PB(H) and PB(L), respectively]. Electron micrographs of these blends show that PB(L) was solubilized into the butadiene domains of the SBS, while PB(H) was present in a separate phase. Dynamic mechanical data of the SBS&PB(L) blends indicate the presence of an intermediate loss peak between those of the glass transitions of the styrene and butadiene blocks in SBS, which can be attributed to the slippage of untrapped entanglements of PB(L) chains. Similar data for blends containing PB(H) also show an intermediate loss peak, which is, however, due to crystallization and melting of the polycisbutadiene chains. The peak due to the primary glass transition of the butadiene phase was shifted to lower temperatures upon incorporation of PB(L) as a result of plasticization effect of PB(L). The same transition for PB(H) blends is split into a doublet because of the presence of the homopolymer in a separate phase. Dynamic mechanical data for cross-linked blends were also taken for comparison.