Structure Formation and Crystallization Behavior of Ethylene-Isoprene Block Copolymers and Their Blends with Corresponding Homopolymers

Time-resolved simultaneous synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering and differential scanning calorimetry experiments have been performed on crystallization of polyethylene-polyisoprene diblock copolymers (HEI or LEI) and their blends with corresponding homopolymers, polyethylene (PE) and polyisoprene (PIp). For the neat block copolymer having a 50 wt% of the crystalline component, preexisting microphase separation structure in the melt was kept at high and low crystallization temperatures Tc (Tc≥94°C and Tc<60°C), while disrupted at intermediate Tc (60°C≤Tc<94°C). This complex behavior was interpreted by combination of two mechanisms. The behavior in the crystallization below 94°C was attributed to the competition between the crystallization and chain diffusion rates, that is, the fast crystallization rate at lower Tc makes it difficult to rearrange the phase structure in the melt. On the other hand, at a higher Tc (≥94°C), the preservation of the microphase separation structure was explained by a small degree of crystallinity due to the ethyl branch of polyethylene (hydrogenated poly(butadiene)). For HEI/PE blends, crystallization behavior was the simple superposition of those for HEI and PE, while, for HEI/PIp with a small composition of PE, suppression of crystallinity was observed. Crystallization kinetics in the neat block copolymer and all the blends was not so different from that in the PE homopolymer.