Crystallization and shear-induced formation of organogels in novel poly[(butylene succinate)-co-diolisobutyl]-[polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane] copolyesters

A series of novel poly[(butylene succinate)- co -diolisobutyl]-[ polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane] (PBS-POSS) copolyesters have been synthesized for the first time directly from diacid and diols via melting polycondensation. Both PBS and POSS segments crystallized as revealed by X-ray diffraction, and the crystallization of PBS was found to be retarded by the incorporation of POSS into PBS chains based on differential scanning calorimetry and rheological results. Moreover, the copolyester containing 3 mol% POSS formed organogels in chloroform by the treatment of shear flow and was more thermally stable than the pristine sample, due to formation of a physically crosslinked network caused by the crystallization of POSS into crystals of larger sizes. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry