Synthesis, chain structures and phase morphologies of trans-1,4-poly(butadiene-co-isoprene) copolymers

High-trans-1,4 poly(butadiene-co-isoprene) copolymers (TBIR) with both crystalline TPI and TPB blocks are produced by the traditional TiCl4/MgCl2Al(i-Bu)3 (Z-N) catalyst, and the unique phase morphologies of the copolymers with different crystalline lamellar structrues were observed for the first time. Typical AFM images of TBIR present here the lamellar stacks of TPB blocks and dendrimer-shaped lamellae of TPI blocks.636