POLYSULFIDE CONTAINING S-TRIAZINE RINGS AS A NEW THERMOPLASTIC ELASTOMER - SPHERULITE MORPHOLOGY AND STRAIN RECOVERY BEHAVIOR

A new polymer, polysulfide containing s-triazine rings, was found to b e crystalline but it showed an excellent strain recovery after large d eformation; residual strain was less than 10% after 25-400% elongation . The elastic recovery was much better than low density polyethylene ( LDPE), a typical rubber-like crystalline polymer. As in the case of LD PE, a four-leaf clover pattern in H-v (cross-polarized) light scatteri ng was observed, suggesting the formation of spherulites. The H-v patt ern deformed with bulk deformation and recovered to the original patte rn after releasing, without any change in the disorder parameter of or ientation correlation. The reversible change in scattering pattern sug gests that the spherulite itself is highly elastic and it may render t he elastomeric character in bulk. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All r ights reserved.