Journal of Physical Chemistry B, Vol.107, No.29, 6946-6953, 2003
Chain folding in semicrystalline oxybutylene/oxyethylene/oxybutylene triblock copolymers studied by Raman spectroscopy
The chain-folding behavior of short oxybutylene/oxyethylene/oxybutylene triblock copolymers with one crystallizable E block and two noncrystallizable B blocks has been studied by low-frequency Raman spectroscopy in combination with small-angle X-ray scattering and differential scanning calorimetry. The advantage of using Raman spectroscopy in this application is demonstrated. The results point to folded-chain conformations in which the oxyethylene blocks are orientated normal to the lamellar end plane. It is probable that the oxybutylene blocks are similarly orientated. Comparison is made with related results for short oxypropylene/oxyethylene/oxypropylene triblock copolymers.