Evaluation of interfacial region of microphase-separated SEBS using modulated differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis

• DOI: 10.1016/j.polymertesting.2017.07.006
• Publication Date: 2017-07-10T18:47:34Z
• Authors: Nireeksha S. Karode; Anup Poudel; Laurence Fitzhenry; Siobhán Matthews; Philip R. Walsh; Austin B. Coffey
• Keywords: 02 engineering and technology; 0210 nano-technology

Abstract The continuous structural changes of Poly(styrene-b-ethylene-butylene-b-styrene) [SEBS] due to the effect of temperature are hard to evaluate using conventional differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). This paper presents an accurate and simple way to evaluate microstructural and glass transitions of SEBS using modulated differential scanning calorimetry (MDSC). The weak crystalline nature of –(CH 2 -CH 2 )– n in the ethylene-butylene (EB) block melted around 36 °C. The premature molecular moment and Tg of the styrene block were at 62 °C and 96 °C, respectively. The interfacial region at high temperature was explained with respect to order-order transition (OOT) at 144 °C and a prominent Order-Disorder Transition (ODT) at around 202 °C. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) and dynamic mechanical rheological testing (DMRT) measurements also revealed that the T g of the PS transition were consistent at around 96 °C.