Thermoreversible gels of styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene block copolymers (SEBS) and low density polyethylene dissolved in mineral paraffinic and polybutene oils, as well its mixtures, were prepared and characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). DMA analysis showed distinct behavior depending on the solvent used. The Tg value and storage modulus (G') at onset temperature ranges were 25 to 47°C and 0.25 MPa to 9 MPa, respectively. The gels prepared with paraffinic oil showed the highest values of Tg and G'. DSC analysis showed an endothermic transition from 75°C to 90°C and its correspondent exotherm during cooling from 60°C to 40°C. This transition was designated as dissolution due to fusion and solvation process of polyethylene crystallites. The transitions observed in DMA analysis depend on the solvent and are related to polystyrene domains of the block copolymer and to the polyethylene transitions and are affected by the oil used as solvent. The studied gels showed two different mechanism of gel formation, polyethylene crystallites and polystyrene aggregates. The effect of aromatic and naphthenic oils on the modulus was related to the improvement of interaction between the polystyrene domains and the ethylene/butylene phase.
Gel; block copolymer; thermoreversible; thermal analysis; DSC; DMA; SEBS
