Synthesis and characterization of novel random copolymers based on PBN: Influence of thiodiethylene naphthalate co-units on its polymorphic behaviour

Poly(butylene/thiodiethylene naphthalate) copolymers (PBN-PTDEN) were synthesized in bulk according to the usual polycondensation procedure and examined by NMR, GPC, TGA, DSC and XRD techniques. At room temperature they appeared as semicrystalline materials; the copolymerization caused a lowering in the Tg value, a decrement of Tm and of the crystallization rate. Pure α- or β′-form was obtained at low and high TDEN unit content, respectively; crystalline form transition never occurred in the solid state, analogously to PBN. After cooling from the melt, the pure α-form was always evidenced in PBN-PTDEN10, whereas the pure β′ crystal phase develops in the copolymers containing 30 and 40 mol% TDEN units, independently on the cooling rate. In the case of PBN-PTDEN20 a pure α- or β′-form was obtained at low and high cooling rate, respectively.