MODEL POLYDIETHYLSILOXANE NETWORKS .1. SYNTHESIS AND PHASE-BEHAVIOR

The preparation and hydrosilylation crosslinking of well-defined vinyl and allyl polydiethylsiloxane (PDES) telechelics are described. End f unctionalization has been achieved by using divinyltetramethyldisiloxa ne as a chain stopper during the cationic polymerization of hexaethylc yclotrisiloxane or by anionic polymerization of hexaethylcyclotrisilox ane with allyllithium followed by end capping with allyldimethylchloro silane. Hydrosilylation crosslinking yielded model PDES networks which have been characterized by equilibrium swelling, determination of the sol fraction, differential scanning calorimetry and wide angle X-ray diffraction.