Synthesis of thermoplastic elastomers based on PET glycolysates: Study of their dielectric properties

Thermoplastic elastomers based on PET glycolysates were synthesized in the molten state according to a multistep process. Their chemical structures were studied (1H NMR, triple detection, steric exclusion chromatography) as well as their thermal properties (ATG, DSC) and their morphology (AFM). Influence of hard segments composition on the different properties was investigated with the same ratio soft/hard segment. DSC study showed that these compounds had thermal properties similar to those of conventional thermoplastic elastomers (low Tg and high Tm). The association of PET with PBT segments seemed to harm the hard segments crystallization. SEC analyses showed that the compounds obtained had low molecular weights. Two factors seemed to explain the difference in properties between the compounds with and without glycolysate: a lower molecular weight of the TPE containing glycolysate, and a lower organization for materials containing both PET and PBT segments in respect to copolymer without glycolysate and containing solely PBT segments. Dielectric measurements showed properties close to those usually encountered for insulators used in electrical engineering. Glycolysate-free materials exhibited the best properties (high resistivity, low loss factor, slight variation of permittivity) and the materials exhibited interesting insulating properties (breakdown voltage up than 35 kV/mmRMS, resistivity around 109 Ωm). An improvement of the synthesis methodology with the use of catalyst might result in a significant enhancement of the dielectric properties, already promising for this type of materials.