Sustainable Thermoplastic Elastomers from Terpene-Derived Monomers

Abstract

ABA triblock polymers were prepared by living anionic polymerization of the pinene-derivable monomers α-methyl-<i>p</i>-methylstyrene and myrcene. The resulting thermoplastic elastomers displayed microphase separation at moderate molar mass, an upper service temperature about 70 °C higher than traditional petroleum-derived styrenic thermoplastic elastomers, competitive tensile strengths of up to 10 MPa, impressive ultimate elongations of up to 1300%, and remarkably low energy loss recovery attributes.