DETERMINATION OF THE ENTANGLEMENT MOLECULAR-WEIGHT OF THERMOPLASTIC ELASTOMERS BY TENSILE RETRACTION MEASUREMENTS

The molecular weight between crosslinks was measured as a function of the maximum extension to which samples of solution cast films of ABA triblocks were tested. These measurements were done by applying the kinetic theory of rubber elasticity to the retraction portion of a tensile hysteresis curve. The molecular weight between chain restrictions, as determined by extrapolation to 0% elongation, was found to be identical to the entanglement molecular weight normally associated with the polybutadiene or polyisoprene that was used for the center block. The disentanglement of the small amount of AB diblock present could also be followed by fitting the data collected to what could be pictured kinetically as a simultaneous first‐and second‐order loss of crosslink density. Copyright © 1990 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.