Facile Method for the Synthesis of PCL-b-PA6-b-PCL Using Amino-Terminated PA6 as a Macroinitiator and Its Characterization

Polyesteramides have attracted much attention due to their intriguing properties. However, the synthesis of di- or triblock polyesteramides based on polyamide 6 (PA6) remains challenging owing to their harsh reaction conditions. In this work, we introduced a new strategy to synthesize poly(ε-caprolactone)-block-PA6-block-poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL-b-PA6-b-PCL) in a mild way. A series of well-designed copolymers were characterized by gel permeation chromatography, 1H, DOSY, and 13C NMR, and their crystallization and melting behavior, degradation rate, and compatibilization effect on PA6/PCL blends were found to be strongly composition dependent. Interestingly, the copolymers exhibited diverse spherulite morphologies, including curving stems and banded spherulites, which also correlated with the different relative content of PA6. Besides, PA6 nanodomains could act as physical cross-linking points to improve the tensile strength and Young's modulus of PCL. This work fills the synthesis gap of well-defined PA6-based triblock polyesteramides, providing new materials for material modification and elucidation of some basic scientific questions.