Microphase separation in polyoxymethylene end-capped with a long-chain alkyl

A new type polyoxymethylene (POM) having a long chain alkyl group as an end group was synthesized. This is a block copolymer comprising polar POM and non-polar polyethylene (PE) blocks. Since both the block chains have crysta llizability, this copolymer has another aspect of being a crystalline block copolymer. To discuss the effects of the PE block chain length on the crys tallizability, differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) measurements were c onducted on the POM-PE blocks having different alkyl chain lengths. Small-a ngle X-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements were also conducted to confirm th e microphase separation in the molten state (at 190 degrees C). It was foun d that the microphase separation even took place at 190 degrees C in a dibl ock sample having considerably low composition as the fraction of PE moieti es is similar to 0.05. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.