Dynamic mechanical properties of homogeneous copolymers of ethylene and 1‐alkenes

The dynamic mechanical properties of homogeneous copolymers of ethylene with 1‐butene, 1‐octene, and 1‐octadecene prepared by means of a vanadium‐based catalyst system have been determined. The 1‐butene copolymers show α′ and α transitions in the 20–60°C temperature range, whereas the 1‐octene and 1‐octadecene copolymers show single α transitions. The intensity of the β transition increases with comonomer content in 1‐butene and 1‐octene copolymers and also with the amount of interfacial material present. In ethylene‐1‐octadecene copolymers, this intensity is comparatively low, even though there is about 20% interfacial material present. The implications of these results with regard to the nature of interfacial material are discussed.