Heterogeneous catalytic hydrogenation of polystyrene: thermodynamics of poly(vinylcyclohexane)-containing diblock copolymers

Heterogeneous catalytic hydrogenation of 1,4-poly(isoprene) (PI), atactic poly(styrene) (PS), and two poly(styrene)-poly(isoprene) (PS-PI) diblock copolymers was performed using two palladium supported catalysts. In each case fully saturated materials were obtained with no chain degradation. The dynamic and thermodynamic properties of these materials were investigated using DSC and dynamic mechanical spectroscopy. Saturated poly(styrene), denoted poly(vinylcycloherane) (PVCH), exhibited a T that is 40 deg higher than that of poly(styrene)