SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF BUTADIE NE ETHENE PROPENE TERPOLYMERS

Butadiene/ethene/propene terpolymers are synthesized by Ziegler-Natta polymerization with the catalyst system VO(O-neopentyl)2Cl/Al(i-Bu)3 i n toluene at - 10-degrees-C. Variation of the amounts of propene and e thene leads to products with propene contents between 5 and 30 mol-% ( referring to monomeric unit) in the polymer. These polymers are terpol ymers with alternating units of butadiene-ethene and butadiene-propene sequences as shown by means of nuclear magnetic resonance investigati ons. The degree of crystallinity can be varied between 10 and 51 mol-% by different incorporation of propene into the terpolymer (X-ray diff raction). The thermal behaviour was characterized using differential s canning calorimetry investigations. Depending on the propene content i n the terpolymer the degree of crystallinity significantly influences the parameters of glass transition and the melting process.