| Abstract: | Poly[4-(4-hydroxyphenoxy) benzoic acid] was prepared by the bulk polycondensation of 4-(4-acetoxyphenoxy) benzoic acid. Polycondensation was conducted at 350°C for 3 h under a reduced pressure of 0.1 mmHg and gave a polymer with X?n of 255. The polymer was characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and wide-angle X-ray measurement. The crystal/nematic and nematic/isotropic phase transition temperatures of polymer, which depend on the molecular weight, were observed at about 300°C and 410°C, respectively. The polymers with low molecular weights showed nematic textures above 300°C. This nematic/isotropic phase transition temperature is lower than that of poly (4-hydroxybenzoic acid). This thermal behavior of polymer comes from ether units, which increase the flexibility (the rotation or torsion of skeletal bonds) of the polymer chain. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. |
