Preparation and characterization of aromatic polyamides based on ether-sulfone-dicarboxylic acids

Two ether-sulfone-dicarboxylic acids, 4,4′-[sulfonylbis(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene)dioxy]dibenzoic acid (Me- III ) and 4,4′-[sulfonylbis(1,4-phenylene)dioxy]-dibenzoic acid ( III ), were prepared by the fluorodisplacement of 4,4′-sulfonylbis(2,6-dimethylphenol) and 4,4′-sulfonyldiphenol with p-fluorobenzonitrile, and subsequent alkaline hydrolysis of intermediate dinitriles. Using triphenyl phosphite (TPP) and pyridine as condensing agents, aromatic polyamides containing ether and sulfone links were prepared by the direct polycondensation of the dicarboxylic acids with various aromatic diamines in the N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) solution containing dissolved calcium chloride. The inherent viscosities of the resulting polymers were above 0.4 dL/g and up to 1.01 dL/g. Most of the polyamides were readily soluble in polar solvents such as NMP, N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc), N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and afforded tough and transparent films by solution-casting. Most of the polymers showed distinct glass transition on their differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) curves, and their glass transition temperatures (T_g) were recorded between 212–272°C. The methyl-substituted polyamides showed slightly higher T_gs than the corresponding unsubstituted ones. The results of the thermogravimetry analysis (TGA) revealed that all the polyamides showed no significant weight loss before 400°C, and the methyl-substituted polymers showed lower initial decomposition temperatures than the unsubstituted ones. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 2421–2429, 1997     

Copolymerization of styrene with (Z)-1,3-pentadiene in the presence of a syndiotactic-specific catalyst

Copolymerization of styrene with (Z)-1,3-pentadiene affords copolymers mostly containing 1,2 pentadiene units. Both the styrene and the pentadiene units are in syndiotactic arrangement but the comonomer sequence distribution is far from bernoullian. Interestingly, the behavior of (Z)-1,3-pentadiene does not change much when polymerization temperature raises from −20 to +20°C, notwithstanding that (Z)-1,3-pentadiene affords a 1,2-syndiotactic homopolymer at −20°C but a prevailingly 1,4 cis homopolymer at +20°C. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 2697–2702, 1997     

Interaction of the low-molecular weight salts with cationic polyelectrolytes

The interaction of several mono-, di-, and trivalent anions with cationic polyelectrolytes having different contents in N,N-dimethyl-2-hydroxypropylen ammonium chloride units (polymer A) or tertiary amine N-atoms and PEG (polymer PEGA) in the main chain was studied by viscosimetric and conductometric measurements. Both methods have shown a stronger interaction for tri- and bi- than for univalent counterions. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35 : 2571–2581, 1997     

Anomalous viscosity behavior of rodlike polyelectrolytes: Partially sulfonated poly(2-benzoyl-1,4-phenylene)s in aqueous solution

Two stereoisomeric poly(2-benzoyl-1,4-phenylene)s were synthesized. Polymer I has exclusively a head-to-tail structure; however, polymer II contains both head-to-head and head-to-tail units. The sulfonation reaction of polymers I and II was found to occur mainly on the meta position of the benzoyl group on the phenylene backbone. The viscosities of polymers Ia (27% sulfonated) and Ic (51% sulfonated) in aqueous solutions at 25°C were measured with and without NaBr addition. Upon the addition of NaBr (0.05 and 0.1M), the reduced viscosities were found to increase gradually and reach a constant value in each case after standing at room temperature for 30–40 h. Without NaBr, the time effect was not found. The reduced viscosities of solutions with NaBr were also higher than those without the salt. These results are quite different from the typical “polyelectrolyte” behavior. A possible explanation of the salt effect of rigid rodlike polymers such as sulfonated poly(2-benzoyl-1,4-phenylene) is discussed. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 1425–1429, 1998     

Synthesis of regiocontrolled poly(4,6-di-n-butoxy-1,3-phenylene) by oxidative coupling polymerization

Poly(4,6-di-n-butoxy-1,3-phenylene) ( 6 ) was prepared by oxidative coupling polymerization of 1,3-di-n-butoxybenzene ( 1 ) or 2,2′,4,4′-tetra-n-butoxy biphenyl (3). Polymerizations were conducted in nitrobenzene in the presence of FeCl₃ at room temperature and produced polymers with number-average molecular weights up to 42,000. The effects of various factors, such as amount of FeCl₃ and reaction temperature and time were studied. The structure of polymer 6 was characterized by 270 MHz ¹H- and 68.5 MHz ¹³C-NMR spectroscopies and was estimated to consist of almost completely 1,3-linkage. The regiocontrolled polymer was readily soluble in common organic solvents. Thermogravimetric analysis of polymer 6 showed 10% weight loss at 390°C in nitrogen. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Chem 35 : 2259–2266, 1997     

Formation of quinoid fragments in vacuum-deposited poly-para-phenylene films: IR spectroscopy evidence

The structure of vacuum-deposited poly-para-phenylene (PPP) films prepared from a high-molecular-weight PPP powder has been investigated by IR spectroscopy. It has been demonstrated that in IR spectra of PPP films exhibiting intense luminescence an extremely strong band at 1375 cm⁻¹ is observed, which is not typical for currently known PPP modifications. Based on the IR spectral data, the model of formation of a PPP chain with quinoid fragments in the ground electronic state is proposed. The structure of defects that inevitably spring up during the benzenoid–quinoid transition is discussed. High intensity of the band at 1375 cm⁻¹ is associated with the change in the order of the “defect” C C bond between adjacent quinoid and benzenoid units. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 1043–1052, 1998     

Photochemical behavior of poly(ethylacryloylacetate) and poly(acryloylacetone) films

Films of poly(ethylacryloylacetate) (PEAA) and poly(acryloylacetone) (PAA) were subjected to UV irradiation (λ = 254 nm) at room temperature. The photoinduced structure transfer from cis-enol onto a diketo forms has been investigated. The structure transfer caused by UV light was found to be slower than for the corresponding process in solution. The spectral investigations (UV, IR) showed reversible process of photoketonization. The results were analyzed in terms of the model for the participation of the trans-enol form in the process of the ketonization. Based on the results obtained, some general conclusions were made about the organization of the units in the polymer chain. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 3683–3688, 1997     

Moisture sorption mechanism of aromatic polyamide fibers. V: Growth of crystallites in as-spun wet poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide) fiber during dehydration

Wide-angle x-ray diffraction studies were performed for as-spun wet poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide) fiber. The effects of sorbed water on the equatorial diffractions from the (110) and (200) crystal planes and on the meridional diffractions from the (002), (004), and (006) crystal planes were analyzed during desorption and absorption. There was no significant change in the d-spacing from the respective crystal plane irrespective of the moisture (water) regain. The ratio of the diffracted intensity from the (110) diffraction to that from the (200) diffraction remarkably increased by removing the sorbed water. The crystallite size estimated from the (110) diffraction, L₁₁₀, also increased as the moisture regain decreased, while the L₂₀₀ did not increase. The longitudinal size of paracrystallite, D₀₀₁, also remarkably increased with the decrease in moisture regain with the lattice distortion factor, g_II, kept unchanged. These results strongly suggested the growth of the crystallite via hydrogen bonds in the lateral (b-axis) direction. The growth of the lateral size of crystallite also accompanied the longitudinal growth of crystallite during desorption. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35 : 1423–1432, 1997     

Molecular composite films from polybenzoxazole and crosslinked polymer matrixes

Films consisting of a rigid-rod polymer and thermoset resin matrixes were prepared. Poly{(benzo[1,2-d : 5,4-d′]bis(oxazole-2,6-diyl))-1,4-phenylene} (PBO) in polyphosphoric acid (PPA) was blended with 2,6-bis(4-benzocyclobutene) benzo[1,2- d : 5,4-d′]bis(oxazole) ( 1 ), and films were extruded from these solutions. The coagulated films were soluble in methanesulfonic acid (MSA). After heat treatment at 300°C, the films became insoluble in MSA. Crosslinked films were homogeneous and did not show phase segregation between the two components. These were composite films at the molecular level. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed enhanced interlayer integrity and reduced microfibril separation for the molecular composite films as compared to normal PBO film. These films had significantly better torsion and tension delamination resistance. The incorporation of a second component did not sacrifice the tensile properties of PBO film. Thermal stability of these composite films was only slightly lower than that of normal PBO film. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 2157–2165, 1997     

Three-component coupling polymerization of bisallene,aryl dihalides,and nucleophiles via π-allylpalladium complex. II. Effect of nucleophiles on polymerization

A novel palladium-catalyzed three-component polycondensation of 1,2,10,11-dodecatetraene, 4,4′-diiodobiphenyl, and nucleophiles was carried out using various carbanions and amines as a nucleophilic part. The polymerization with various sodium diethyl malonates produced polymers in high yields. Particularly, no exo-double bond was detected in the polymers prepared from sodium diethyl malonates bearing substituents directly on the carbanion center. The ratios of E- and Z- isomeric units in the polymers were dependent on the structure of the nucleophiles used. Other carbanions with appropriate electron-withdrawing groups such as sulphones and ketones can be also used as a nucleophile for the present polycondensation. Within heteronucleophiles examined, cyclic amines were suitable to produce polymers in high yields. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 1211–1218, 1997     

Graft copolymerization of acrylonitrile onto polystyrene

It is possible to graft vinyl monomers, such as acrylonitrile, onto polystyrene via anionic processes but not by a radical process. Both homopolymerization of the added acrylonitrile and graft copolymerization in which acrylonitrile units are added to the para position on the benzene ring in styrene occur; the conversion of acrylonitrile into polymer depends upon the time and temperature of the reaction and on the concentration of the anionic initiator, butyllithium. A constant 15–20% of the acrylonitrile is converted to graft copolymer while the remainder is homopolymerized; graft copolymer may be separated from homopolymer by selective precipitation from either N,N′-dimethylformamide or aqueous potassium thiocyanate. Treatment of the mixed graft and homopolymer with aqueous sodium hydroxide converts the nitrile into an acid salt and one may conveniently separate homopolymer from graft copolymer in this way. Each polystyrene chain is grafted with acrylonitrile units. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 1275–1282, 1997     

Synthesis and characterization of aromatic poly(ether sulfone imide)s derived from sulfonyl bis(ether anhydride)s and aromatic diamines

Two sulfonyl group-containing bis(ether anhydride)s, 4,4′-[sulfonylbis(1,4-phenylene)dioxy]diphthalic anhydride ( IV ) and 4,4′-[sulfonylbis(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene)dioxy]diphthalic anhydride (Me- IV ), were prepared in three steps starting from the nucleophilic nitrodisplacement reaction of the bisphenolate ions of 4,4′-sulfonyldiphenol and 4,4′-sulfonylbis(2,6-dimethylphenol) with 4-nitrophthalonitrile in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). High-molar-mass aromatic poly(ether sulfone imide)s were synthesized via a conventional two-stage procedure from the bis(ether anhydride)s and various aromatic diamines. The inherent viscosities of the intermediate poly(ether sulfone amic acid)s were in the ranges of 0.30–0.47 dL/g for those from IV and 0.64–1.34 dL/g for those from Me- IV. After thermal imidization, the resulting two series of poly(ether sulfone imide)s had inherent viscosities of 0.25–0.49 and 0.39–1.19 dL/g, respectively. Most of the polyimides showed distinct glass transitions on their differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) curves, and their glass transition temperatures (T_g) were recorded between 223–253 and 252–288°C, respectively. The results of thermogravimetry (TG) revealed that all the poly(ether sulfone imide)s showed no significant weight loss before 400°C. The methyl-substituted polymers showed higher T_g's but lower initial decomposition temperatures and less solubility compared to the corresponding unsubstituted polymers. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 1649–1656, 1998     

Polyimide containing internal acetylene units linked para to the aromatic ring

4,4′-Diaminodiphenylacetylene (p-intA) was reacted with 3,3′,4,4′-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride (BPDA), 3,3′,4,4′-benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride (BTDA) and pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) to give poly(amic acid) solution of moderate to high viscosity. Thermal imidization gave polyimide having acetylene units that are linked para to the aromatic connecting unit. Polyimide having acetylene units that are linked meta to the aromatic connecting unit also was prepared utilizing 3,3′-diaminodiphenylacetylene (m-intA) for comparison. The crosslinking behavior of the acetylene units was observed with DSC. Exotherm due to the crosslinking of the para-linked acetylene units appeared at ca. 340 to 380°C depending on the structure of polyimide, whereas meta-linked acetylene units appeared at lower temperature as 340–350°C. After thermal treatment at high temperature such as 350 or 400°C, the amount of the exotherm became smaller and finally disappeared on DSC, confirming the progress of crosslinking. Dynamic mechanical properties of the polyimide films show that glass transition temperature increased with higher heat treatment, also confirming the progress of crosslinking. Tensile properties of the polyimide films showed that rigid polyimide films consisting of p-intA with BPDA or PMDA have considerably higher modulus than those consisting of m-intA. Cold-drawing of the poly(amic acid) followed by imidization gave much higher modulus in the case of rigid polyimide. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 2395–2402, 1997     

Anisotropic ionic conductivity of lithium-doped sulfonated PBI

The conductivity study results of lithium-doped sulfonated PBI, a conjugated rigid rod polymer, poly[(1,7-dihydrobenzo[1,2-d:4,5-d′]dimidazole-2,6-diyl)-2-(2-sulfo)-p-phenylene], derivatized with pendants of propane sulfonate Li⁺ ionomer are reported. The room-temperature DC four-probe conductivity parallel to the surface of cast films was as large as 8.3 × 10⁻³ S/cm. Similar measurements with an eight-probe configuration showed no difference between bulk and surface conductivity. The ionic nature of the conductivity was indicated by constant voltage depletion experiments and by secondary ion mass spectroscopy measurements of the residues near the electrodes. The DC two-probe conductivity measured transverse to the sample surface was three to four orders of magnitude smaller than longitudinal conductivity, while the AC two-probe conductivity was even less. Electron microscopy indicated that the films had a layered structure parallel to the surfaces. This structural anisotropy was confirmed by refractive index values obtained from wave-guide experiments and by wide angle X-ray scattering. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35: 2925–2933, 1997     

Preparation of polymeric alcohol bearing oligo(oxyethylene) moiety by radical polyaddition through ketyl radical

Hydrophilic polymers having both oligo(oxyethylene) moieties and tertiary alcohol units in the main chain were prepared by the radical polyaddition of the dike-tones with distyryl compounds by using samarium(II) iodide as an electron transfer agent. Polyaddition of 4,4′-(1,4-phenylene)bis-2-butanone or 6,9-dioxatetradeca-2,13-dione with distyryl compounds such as 1,15-di(4-ethenylphenyl)-2,5,8,11,14-pentaoxapentadecane, 1,18-di(4-ethenylphenyl)-2,5,8,11,14,17-hexaoxaoctadecane, or 1,21-di(4-ethenylphenyl)-2,5,8,11,14,17,20-heptaoxaheneicosane resulted in the formation of the corresponding polymeric alcohols in moderate yields (46–75%). The produced polymers showed high solubility in common solvents, and their molecular weights estimated by GPC (THF, polystyrene standard) were 5200–8100. No serious difference in the molecular weight of the polymer between after and before the treatment with cerium ammonium nitrate indicated that the produced polymers were inert under the oxidative condition where oxidative cleavage of the main chain of poly(vinyl alcohol) takes place. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 715–720, 1997     

Synthesis and properties of optically active aromatic polyimides derived from optically pure 1,1′-bi-2-naphthol

A series of new optically active aromatic polyimides containing axially dissymmetric 1,1′-binaphthalene-2,2-diyl units were prepared from optically pure (R)-(+)- or(S)-(−)-2,2′-bis(3,4-dicarboxyphenoxy)-1,1′-binaphthalene dianhydrides and various aromatic diamines via a conventional two-step procedure that included ring-opening polycondensation and chemical cyclodehydration. The optically pure isomer of dianhydride was prepared by a nucleophilic substitution of optically pure (R)-(+)- or(S)-(−)-1,1′-bi-2-naphthol with 4-nitrophthalonitrile in aprotic polar solvent and subsequent hydrolysis of the resultant tetranitrile derivatives, followed by the dehydration of the corresponding tetracarboxylic acids to obtain the dianhydrides. These polymers were readily soluble in common organic solvents such as N,N-dimethylacetamide, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, and m-cresol, etc., and have glass transition temperatures of 251–296°C, and 5% weight loss occurs not lower than 480°C. The specific rotations of the optically active polyimides ranged from +196° to +263°, and the optical stability and chiroptical properties of them were also studied. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 3287–3297, 1997     

Determination of the sequence distribution and stereoregularity of ethyl α-benzoyloxymethylacrylate–methyl methacrylate copolymers by means of proton and carbon-13 NMR

Proton and Carbon-13 NMR spectra of ethyl α-benzoyloxymethylacrylate (E)–methyl methacrylate (M) copolymers were analyzed in terms of sequence distribution and stereoregularity of monomer units. The copolymers were prepared by free radical polymerization in benzene at 50°C. The methoxy region of the M proton signal resonance was found to be sensitive to the copolymer composition for M-centred sequences. The carbon-13 NMR spectra of the EM copolymers, in particular the carbonyl signal resonances of carbomethoxy and carboethoxy groups, are discussed in terms of M- and E-centred configurational sequences. The experimental values were in excellent agreement with those calculated taken into account the terminal copolymerization model and Bernoullian distribution of stereoregularity with the statistical parameters determined from reactivity ratios r_E = 0.32 and r_M = 1.34 and the coisotacticity parameters σ_MM = 0.22, σ_EE = 0.70, and σ_ME = σ_EM = σ = 0.30. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 3483–3493, 1997     

Benzyl ether polymers: Crystallinity and pendant adamantyl effects

A series of benzyl ether polymers with and without pendant adamantyl groups has been synthesized. A–B homopolymers with dibenzylether and thioether connecting units were made by phase transfer reaction of 2-(4-bromomethylphenyl)-6-bromomethylbenzoxazole with KOH or Na₂S. The ether-linked material was soluble only in conc. H₂SO₄ while the thioether polymer was only soluble in a mixture of trifluoroethanol and chloroform. The parent AA–BB polyether from resorcinol and α,α′-dichloro-p-xylene (or the dibromo analog) was obtained as a very high molecular weight product which showed multiple crystalline forms depending on sample history. Solid-state ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction patterns were obtained on two samples [each with a single (different) type of crystalline domain], a high molecular weight sample displaying both types, and on amorphous material. Incorporation of pendent adamantyl groups was also examined because of their ability to enormously modify polymer properties. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 1743–1751, 1997     

Linear diacetylene polymers containing bis(dimethylsilyl) phenyl and/or bis-(tetramethyldisiloxane) carborane residues: Their synthesis,characterization and thermal and oxidative properties

A series of inorganic-organic linear diacetylenic hybrid polymers ( 5a–e ) were prepared by the polycondensation reaction of 1,4-dilithiobutadiyne with 1,4-bis(dimethylchlorosilyl)benzene and/or 1,7-bis(tetramethylchlorodisiloxane)-m-carborane. Their structures were characterized using FTIR, and ¹³C and ¹H NMR spectroscopies, and their thermal and oxidative properties were evaluated by DSC and TGA analyses. The hybrid polymers exhibited solubility in common organic solvents and were viscous liquids or low melting solids at room temperature. Broad prominent exotherms, attributed to reaction of the diacetylenic units, were observed by DSC in the 306°C to 354°C temperature range. When 5a–e were analyzed by TGA to 1000°C under nitrogen, weight retention between 79 and 86% were obtained. Ageing studies, performed at elevated temperatures in air on a thermoset and a ceramic obtained from polymer 5b , showed this system to have excellent thermal and oxidative stability. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 2387–2391, 1997     

A study of the dilation of the unit cell of metallocene isotactic poly(propylenes): The monoclinic form

The lattice parameters of a series of monoclinic metallocene poly(propylenes) of constant molecular weight are measured as a function of defect content, that vary between 0.3 and 2.35 total defects per 100 monomeric units. The parameters are also measured as a function of molecular weight for a fixed defect content and as a function of the crystallization temperature. The b axis is found to increase with decreasing isothermal crystallization temperature whereas only small changes are found for samples rapidly crystallized. The a and c axis showed basically no variation with crystallization temperature. The parameters of the unit cell were essentially constant with varying defect content in the poly(propylene) chain. Lack of observed effect on the dilation of the unit cell by increasing defects is a consequence of the rapid crystallization required to ensure formation of monoclinic crystals. The unit cell parameters increased as a mild function of the molecular weight. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35 : 2511–2521, 1997