Abstract
Poly(ethylene 2, 6-naphthalate-co-tetramethylene 2, 6-naphthalate) (PEN/PBN) copolymers were synthesized and studied by 13C NMR spectroscopy, DSC analysis and X-ray diffraction. A minimum in the melting point vs. composition curve was found at approximately 60 mol% tetramethylene 2, 6-naphthalate. The PEN/PBN copolymers were shown to be statistically random throughout the range of 1, 4-butanediol compositions. The melting point depression behavior of annealed PEN/PBN copolymers depended upon the sequence propagation probability, PS, which is suggested by indivisual crystal formation of two pure comonomers; that is, ethylene-naphthalate-ethylene, EE, and tetramethylene-naphthalate-tetramethylene, BB. However, it can be seen from the X-ray curve that the peaks of PEN/PBN copolymers appear from a crystal lattice which is governed only by the rich component between two different aliphatic units in the copolymer composition.