MICROEMULSION ELASTOMERS

ABA-triblock copolymers bearing polymerizable methacrylate end-groups are covalently crosslinked in the droplet phase of W/O- and O/W-microe mulsions. The resulting microemulsion elastomers combine the structure and the phase behavior of microemulsions with solid state properties such as elasticity or stability of shape. These new materials are char acterized with the help of conductivity, dynamic-mechanical and dynami c light-scattering investigations. The influence of the chemical cross linking process on the phase behavior and the dynamics of the underlyi ng microemulsion is discussed.