Abstract: The present invention is generally directed to a new class of TPEs made from peptide terminated low Tg polymers and methods for making them. The middle block of these TPE is a telechelic polymer with a Tg that is below the intended service temperature of the TPE. The terminal peptide segments of these TPEs are short (from about 1 to about 10 amino acids long) and tend to from sheet type secondary structures through intermolecular hydrogen bonds, creating physical crosslinks between polymer chains. The dissimilarity of the peptide hard component and the elastomeric soft component results in very strong segregation between the microphase domains and a low plastic deformation for the resulting TPE. And since the Tm of the crystalline peptide phase can be adjusted, these new TPEs may be tailored to fit the intended service temperature and are melt-processable.

Abstract: The present invention is generally directed to a new class of TPEs made from peptide terminated low Tg polymers and methods for making them. The middle block of these TPE is a telechelic polymer with a Tg that is below the intended service temperature of the TPE. The terminal peptide segments of these TPEs are short (from about 1 to about 10 amino acids long) and tend to from sheet type secondary structures through intermolecular hydrogen bonds, creating physical crosslinks between polymer chains. The dissimilarity of the peptide hard component and the elastomeric soft component results in very strong segregation between the microphase domains and a low plastic deformation for the resulting TPE. And since the Tm of the crystalline peptide phase can be adjusted, these new TPEs may be tailored to fit the intended service temperature and are melt-processable.