Thermoplastic elastomers 4. Poly(ether-ester-imide)s derived from trimellitic anhydride, 1,6-diaminohexane, 1,4-dihydroxybutane and poly(ethylene oxide)

Abstract Four thermoplastic elastomers having the structure of poly(ether-ester-imide)s, PEEIs, were prepared and characterized. The hard segments were synthesized from 1,4-dihydroxybutane and from an imide dicarboxylic acid based on 1,6-diaminohexane and trimellitic anhydride. Poly(tetramethylene oxide)-1000, poly(ethylene oxide)-1000 or mixtures of both oligoethers served as soft segments. The PEEI based on neat PEO-1000 was also modified by a solid state post-condensation which raised the n rel value by a factor three. All PEEIs were characterized by H NMR spectroscopy, inherent viscosity and DSC measurements, and stress-strain measurements. The PEEIs based on neat PEO-1000 were also characterized by dynamic thermal mechanical analysis, by hysteresis measurements and by melt rheology.