Structure and properties of segmented polyether‐esters. II. Crystallization behavior of polyether‐esters with random distribution of hard segment length

Six different segmented copolyether‐esters based on polybutyleneterephthalate as the hard and oligotetramethylene oxide glycols as the soft segments were studied. The weight fraction of the hard segments varied between 0.26 and 0.72 and the soft segment had an average molecular weight of either 1000 or 2000. The melting, recrystallization, and annealing behavior was studied as well as the relaxation behavior via measurement by a torsion pendulum. The DSC‐data indicate that only a small fraction of all hard segment sequences crystallize. Sequences shorter or longer than the average sequence length do not crystallize but together with the soft segments form a homogeneous amorphous matrix in which the crystalline domains are embedded. These domains are completely destroyed by cold flow under stress but are formed again on annealing the stretched sample. An exponential increase of the long spacing is observed with increasing annealing temperature without change in melting temperature. The sequence distribution does not seem to influence the annealing behavior.