POLYISOBUTYLENE-GRAFT-POLYSTYRENE BY QUASILIVING ATOM-TRANSFER RADICAL POLYMERIZATION OF STYRENE FROM TYLENE-CO-P-METHYLSTYRENE-CO-P-BROMOMETHYLSTYRENE)

Polyisobutylene-graft-polystyrene (PIB-g-PSt) was synthesized by quasi living atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of styrene. The ATR P process was induced by an industrially produced tylene-co-p-methylst yrene-co-p-bromomethylstyrene) macroinitiator (PIB) in the presence of CuBr and 2,2'-bipyridine. Successful graft polymerizations were perfo rmed both in bulk and in xylene solution. Preliminary investigations i ndicate phase-separated morphology and thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) b ehavior of this new graft copolymer with certain PIB/PSt ratios. These materials are able to elongate to ca. 500% of their original dimensio n without any irreversible deformation.