Synthesis of CO2-based elastomers with tunable glass transition temperatures via a Zinc–Cobalt (III) double metal cyanide catalyst

Integrating carbon dioxide into polymeric materials aims to reduce dependence on fossil fuels in polymer development, while also helping to mitigate air pollution. In this study, we present a method for synthesizing CO 2 -based polymers with tunable glass transition temperatures ( T g ) ranging from −25 °C to +5 °C through the terpolymerization of CO 2 , allyl glycidyl ether (AGE, an unsaturated epoxide), and a saturated epoxide containing a long alkyl chain. By varying the AGE content and the alkyl chain length, we produced a series of elastomers with diverse mechanical properties. AGE incorporation provides effective cross-linking sites, resulting in higher cross-linking density, increased tensile strength, and reduced elongation at break as AGE content rises. Additionally, the introduction of saturated epoxides modulates the cross-linking density, with the T g decreasing linearly as the alkyl chain length of the saturated epoxides increases.