Reactive blending of poly(butylene succinate) and poly(triethylene succinate): characterization of the copolymers obtained

Poly[butylene‐co‐(triethylene succinate)] block copolymers (PBSPTES), prepared by reactive blending of the parent homopolymers (PBS and PTES) in the presence of Ti(OBu)4, were analysed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), wide angle X‐ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry techniques, in order to investigate the effects of the transesterification reactions on the molecular structure and thermal properties. 1H‐NMR analysis evidenced the formation of copolymers whose degree of randomness increased with mixing time. After melt quenching, all the copolymers were found to be semicrystalline with the exception of a random copolymer. The results obtained indicated that the block size has a fundamental role in determining the rate of crystallization and therefore the phase behavior of the block copolymers.