Synthesis, structure and properties of thermoplastic poly(ester-siloxane) elastomers

Two series of thermoplastic poly(ester-siloxane) elastomers (TPES), with hard segments based on poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) and soft segments based on poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), were synthesized by high-temperature two-step transesterification reaction in the melt. In series I, the mass ratio of hard and soft segments was kept constant (57:43), while the length of the segments was varied, whereas in series II, the mass ratio of hard and soft segments was varied in range from 70:30 to 40:60, with a constant length of the soft segments. The segmented structure of the poly(ester-siloxane) copolymers was verified by 1H-NMR spectroscopy of the soluble and insoluble fractions, obtained after extraction of the samples with chloroform. The influence of the structure and composition of the TPES on the melting temperatures and degrees of crystallinity was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The rheological properties were investigated by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA).