A new α-CBC polymer with elevated heat-resistance prepared via catalytic hydrogenation of α-methylstyrene-butadiene-styrene terpolymer over Ni x Pd/NCNT@MFN monolithic catalyst

Abstract

Abstract Elevating the heat resistance of the highly transparent cyclic block copolymer CBC is of great significance for the synthesis of high performance polymers. In this study, a novel bimetallic Ni x Pd/NCNT@MFN catalyst was prepared and applied in the hydrogenation of α methylstyrene butadiene styrene ( α SBS) ternary block copolymer. Ni 2 Pd/NCNT@MFN exhibited excellent catalytic performance, and after 8 hour s of reaction, a new fully hydrogenated polymer α CBC was obtained. The hydrogenation of the butadiene segment in α SBS bec a me more difficult as the length of the segment increase d . The pr esence of α methyl result ed in the highest adsorption activation energy for the α methylstyrene monomer unit, leading to a longer hydrogenation time with increasing length of this segment. Furthermore, t he introduction of α methylstyrene not only increased the glass transition temperature of the styrene and α methylstyrene S) segment s in α SBS, but also increased the glass transition temperature of α CBC even more after hydrogenation. This conclusion provides valuable theoretical guidance for the synthesis of high heat resistant α CBC polymers.