A new α-CBC polymer with elevated heat-resistance prepared via catalytic hydrogenation of α-methylstyrene-butadiene-styrene terpolymer over Ni x Pd/NCNT@MFN monolithic catalyst

Abstract Elevating the heat resistance of the highly transparent cyclic block copolymer CBC is of great significance for the synthesis of high performance polymers. In this study, a novel bimetallic Ni x Pd/NCNT@MFN catalyst was prepared and applied in the hydrogenation of α methylstyrene butadiene styrene ( α SBS) ternary block copolymer. Ni 2 Pd/NCNT@MFN exhibited excellent catalytic performance, and after 8 hour s of reaction, a new fully hydrogenated polymer α CBC was obtained. The hydrogenation of the butadiene segment in α SBS bec a me more difficult as the length of the segment increase d . The pr esence of α methyl result ed in the highest adsorption activation energy for the α methylstyrene monomer unit, leading to a longer hydrogenation time with increasing length of this segment. Furthermore, t he introduction of α methylstyrene not only increased the glass transition temperature of the styrene and α methylstyrene S) segment s in α SBS, but also increased the glass transition temperature of α CBC even more after hydrogenation. This conclusion provides valuable theoretical guidance for the synthesis of high heat resistant α CBC polymers.