Well-defined PE-b-PDMS diblock copolymers via the combination of thiol-ene click and esterification reactions: Facile synthesis and compatibilization for HDPE/silicone oil blends

Well-defined diblock copolymers of linear polyethylene (PE) and poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) have been synthesized through a facile route combining the thiol-ene click chemistry of vinyl-terminated polyethylene (PE-ene) and the sequential esterification reaction. The resulting diblock copolymers are characterized by 1 H NMR, FT-IR, DSC, TGA, and TEM. In addition, the PE- b -PDMS diblock copolymers have been evaluated as compatibilizers in the blends of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and silicone oil. The morphological analysis and mechanical properties demonstrate that the compatibilized blends with low loading concentration of PE- b -PDMS display significant improvements in modulus of elasticity and elongation at break as compared to the uncompatibilized binary blends. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52 , 3205–3212