The effect of degree of branching on the rheological and thermal properties of hyperbranched aliphatic polyethers

A series of hyperbranched aliphatic polyethers with different degree of bra nching (DB) and molecular weights have been studied with respect to their r heological and thermal properties. The DB was shown to affect the ability o f the polymers to crystallize and thereby also the rheological properties o f the polymers. A low DB resulted in semi-crystalline polymers with melting points between 100 and 130 degreesC. The polymers with a higher DB were es sentially amorphous and behaved as non-entangled Newtonian liquids in the m olten state. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.