Synthesis and ring‐opening polymerization of co‐cyclic(aromatic aliphatic disulfide) oligomers

An effective approach was presented for the synthesis of co‐cyclic(aromatic aliphatic disulfide) oligomers by catalytic oxidation of aromatic and aliphatic dithiols with oxygen in the presence of a copper‐amine catalyst. The aromatic dithiols can be 4,4′‐oxybis(benzenethiol), 4,4′‐diphenyl dithiol, 4,4′‐diphenylsulfone dithiol. The aliphatic dithiols can be 1,2‐ethanedithiol, 2,3‐butanedithiol, 1,6‐hexane dithiol. The co‐cyclic(aromatic aliphatic disulfide) oligomers were characterized by gradient HPLC, MALDI‐TOF‐MS, GPC, ¹H‐NMR, TGA, and DSC techniques. The glass transition temperatures of these co‐cyclics ranged from ?11.3 to 56.6°C. In general, these co‐cyclic(aromatic aliphatic disulfide) oligomers are soluble in common organic solvents, such as CHCl₃, THF, DMF, DMAc. These co‐cyclic oligomers readily underwent free radical ring‐opening polymerization in the melt at 180°C, producing linear, tough and high molecular weight poly(aromatic aliphatic disulfide)s. The glass transition temperatures of these polymers ranged from ?3.7 to 107.8°C that are higher than those of corresponding co‐cyclics. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Co‐poly(aryl ether sulfone)s containing phthalimidine moiety in the main chain

Several new co‐poly(arylene ether sulfone)s have been prepared by the reaction of 4,4′‐fluorodiphenyl sulfone (FDS) with different bisphenols namely 4,4′‐isopropylidenediphenol (BPA), 4,4′‐hexafluoroisopropylidenediphenol (6F‐BPA), and N‐phenyl‐3,3‐bis(4‐hydroxyphenyl)phthalimidine(PA). The homo‐poly(arylene ether sulfone)s are named as 1a, 2a, and 3a. The copolymers namely 2b, 2c, 2d and 3b, 3c, 3d have been prepared, respectively, on reaction of FDS with BPA or 6F‐BPA using different molar ratios of PA such as 25, 50, and 75. The poly(aryl ether sulfone)s 1a containing PA unit in the main chain showed a very high glass transition temperature of 280°C and an outstanding thermal stability up to 510°C for 5% weight loss under synthetic air. Depending on the mole% of PA, the glass transition temperatures of the copolymers can be varied. The polymers were soluble in a wide range of organic solvents. Transparent thin films of these polymers exhibited tensile strengths upto 84 MPa and Young's modulus up to 3.16 GPa. The films of these polymers showed low water absorption of 0.24%. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Short carbon fiber reinforced aromatic polydisulfide derived from cyclic (4,4′‐oxybis(benzene)disulfide) via ring‐opening polymerization

Morphology, mechanical and thermal properties of short carbon fiber reinforced poly(arylene disulfide) synthesized by ring‐opening reaction of cyclic(arylene disulfide) oligomers were studied. These macrocyclic oligomers were prepared from 4,4′‐oxybis(benzenethiol) by oxidation coupling cyclization. Ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) was carried out by in situ melt molding in air. Oxidation reaction during the ROP was detected using the Raman spectrum technique. Three‐point bending tests were performed to determine the flexural properties of neat polymers and the composites. The results showed that the flexural strength and modulus of poly(arylene disulfide)/carbon fiber composites were greatly enhanced with the carbon fiber addition. The maximum weight loss peak temperatures of the composites increased with increasing short carbon fiber content. Good adhesion between carbon fiber and the matrix was observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) technique. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis and properties of amine‐containing poly(arylene ether sulfone) as an anion‐exchange matrix

Poly(arylene ether sulfone) (PSF), showing good thermal stability and excellent mechanical properties, was synthesized as an anion‐exchange matrix. It was synthesized by the condensation polymerization between bisphenol A and 4,4′‐dichlorodiphenylsulfone. 1°‐Amine‐containing poly(arylene ether sulfone) (1°‐APSF) was synthesized by the reduction reaction of a nitrated PSF. Then, it was transferred to 3°‐amine‐containing poly(arylene ether sulfone) (3°‐APSF) by the alkylation of the amine of 1°‐APSF. The properties of PSF, 1°‐APSF, and 3°‐APSF were investigated by Fourier transform infrared, ¹H NMR spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis. The introduction of the 3°‐amine group into PSF increased the glass‐transition temperature but decreased thermooxidative stability. The ion‐exchange capacities of 1°‐APSF and 3°‐APSF were shown to be 2.24 and 2.86 mequiv/g, respectively. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 4281–4287, 2002     

Side-Chain Sulfonated Poly(arylene ether)s for Fuel Cell Applications

Summary: Poly(arylene ether sulfone)s of high molecular weight and narrow molecular weight distribution were obtained by melt polycondensation of 4,4′-difluorodiphenyl- sulfone and trimethylsilylethers of 4,4′-dihydroxydiphenylsulfone and phenylhydroquinone using CsF as catalyst. Although a block-like structure of the polymers could be expected from the course of reaction, only a single T_g ranging from 190 °C to 230 °C could be detected by DSC and which depended on the copolymer composition. Contrary to the sulfonation of similar poly(ether ether ketone)s the poly(arylene ether sulfone)s here reported were sulfonated both in the side chain and the main chain. Nonetheless the sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone)s showed high hydrolytic stability in water at 130 °C.     

Synthesis and characterization of blue‐light emissive carbazole containing perfluorocyclobutyl arylene ether polymers

A series of N‐alkyl/aryl carbazole 3,6‐substituted arylene trifluorovinyl ether (TFVE) monomers were synthesized in high purity and yield from a concise four‐step synthesis using carbazole as a starting material. Condensate‐free, step‐growth chain extension of the monomers afforded perfluorocyclobutyl (PFCB) arylene ether homo‐ and copolymers as solution processable, optically transparent blue‐light emissive materials. Arylene TFVE monomers and conversion to PFCB arylene ether polymers were structurally elucidated and purity confirmed by high resolution mass spectroscopy, NMR (¹H, ¹³C, and ¹⁹F) spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography, and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared analysis. Thermal analysis by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis revealed glass transition temperatures >150 °C and onset of decomposition in nitrogen >410 °C with 40 wt % char yield up to 900 °C. Optical and electrochemical studies included solution (tetrahydrofuran) and solid state (spin cast thin film) UV–vis/fluorescence spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry which showed structure dependence of these blue emissive systems on the nature of the N‐alkyl/aryl carbazole substitution in either homo‐ or copolymer configurations. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 552–560     

Synthesis and characterization of poly(arylene ether sulfone) copolymers with sulfonimide side groups for a proton‐exchange membrane

A sulfonimide‐containing comonomer derived from 4,4′‐dichlorodiphenylsulfone was synthesized and copolymerized with 4,4′‐dichlorodiphenylsulfone and 4,4′‐biphenol to prepare sulfonimide‐containing poly(arylene ether sulfone) random copolymers (BPSIs). These copolymers showed slightly higher water uptake than disulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) copolymer (BPSH) controls, but their proton‐conductivity values were very comparable to those of the BPSH series with similar ion contents. The proton conductivity increased with the temperature for both systems. For samples with 30 mol % ionic groups, BPSI showed less temperature dependence in proton conductivity and slightly higher methanol permeability in comparison with BPSH. The thermal characterization of the sulfonimide copolymers showed that both the acid and salt forms were stable up to 250 °C under a nitrogen atmosphere. The results suggested that the presumed enhanced stability of the sulfonimide systems did not translate into higher protonic conductivity in liquid water. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 6007–6014, 2006     

New processable poly(ether-keto-sulfone)s,poly(arylene sulfone)s,and polyesters curable by intramolecular cyclization. XVII

New processable polyaromatic ether-keto-sulfones were prepared from 2,2′-diiododiphenyl-4,4′-dicarbonyl dichloride (I), bis(p-phenoxybenzene)sulfone (V), isophthaloyl chloride (VI), terephthaloyl chloride (VII), and diphenylether (IX) in Friedel-Crafts-type polymerizations. By varying (VI):(VII) ratio and (V):(IX) ratio and by reducing the polymerization time, soluble, processable polymers were obtained. In these polymers, phenylacetylenyl groups were introduced by replacing the iodine. This process led to soluble and curable polymers. Transparent, tough films and fairly flexible glass fiber laminates can readily be prepared. After curing, the polymers were insoluble and showed excellent chemical and thermal resistance. The curing process increased the polymers' softening temperature by ca. 20°C and produced intersting new useful materials for laminates. Processable poly(arylene sulfone)s were prepared from I, V, and diphenylether-4,4′-disulfonylchloride (X) in a Friedel-Crafts-type polymerization. Different monomer ratios and polymerization times were used. Only low-molecular-weight polymers were obtained. The same result was shown by curable polyester formation from I, VI, VII, and 4,4′-sulfonyldiphenol (XI) in an interfacial polycondensation.     

Poly(aryl ether)s containing o‐terphenyl subunits. II. Random poly(ether sulfone)s

The synthesis of a new A₂X‐type difluoride monomer, N‐2‐pyridyl‐4′,4″‐bis‐(4‐fluorobenzenesulfonyl)‐o‐terphenyl‐3,6‐dimethyl‐4,5‐dicarboxylic imide ( 3 ), is described. The monomer 3 was incorporated into a series of copoly(aryl ether sulfone)s by polymerization of 4,4′‐isopropylidenediphenol and 4,4′‐difluorophenylsulfone. The incorporation of monomer 3 had an observable effect on both the glass‐transition temperature of poly(aryl ether sulfone)s and the tendency for macrocyclic oligomers to form during polymerization. Replacement of the pyridyl imide group via a transimidization reaction with propargyl amine proceeded quantitatively and without polymer degradation. The acetylene containing copoly(aryl ether sulfone) could be crosslinked by simple thermal treatment, resulting in an increase in the glass‐transition temperature and solvent resistance. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 9–17, 2000     

Facile synthesis of exfoliated and highly conductive poly(arylene disulfide)/graphite nanocomposites

Exfoliated graphite has been synthesized by first synthesizing H₂SO₄ intercalated compound in a H₂O₂‐H₂SO₄ mixture, followed by exfoliation under microwave irradiation. Poly(arylene disulfide)/graphite nanocomposites were then fabricated by absorbing cyclic(arylene disulfide) oligomers into the pores of exfoliated graphite. Subsequently, the nanocomposite precursor was subjected to heat treatment to carry out the in situ ring‐opening polymerization of the oligomers via free radical mechanism. The as‐prepared nanocomposite exhibited a exfoliated nanostructure as evidenced by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation. The nanocomposite with a very small amount of graphite, 5 wt%, possesses a highly electrical conductivity of 4 S/cm, therefore, many applications can be found as conductive materials. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis and Properties of Novel Side‐Chain Sulfonated Poly(Arylene Ether Sulfone)s for Proton Exchange Membranes

A series of novel side‐chain sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) (SPAES) multiblock and random copolymers were synthesized by condensation polymerization from a new disulfonated aryl sulfone monomer, 4,4′‐difluoro‐2,2′‐bis(3‐sulfobenzoyl)diphenyl sulfone disodium salt (DFBSPS). The chemical structures of DFBSPS and the SPAESs were characterized by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra. The SPAES membranes prepared by solution cast method exhibited high tensile strength (50–71 MPa) and high radical oxidative stability. They could keep their morphology and maintain proton conductivities after hydrolysis test in 95 °C water for 1000 h. They also showed smaller swelling ratio in in‐plane direction than in through‐plane direction and such an anisotropic effect was more significant for the multiblock copolymers than for the random ones. The multiblock copolymer membranes exhibited higher proton conductivity than the random ones with similar ion exchange capacities (IECs). Preliminary hydrogen‐oxygen fuel cell tests were performed at 60 °C and 80% relative humidity (RH). The results showed that the single cell equipped with the multibiock copolymer membrane SB3 exhibited 0.12 W cm^?2 higher maximum output power density than the one equipped with the random copolymer membrane SR3 (with the same IEC), indicating much better performance of the former. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 2304–2313     

Synthesis and characterization of poly(aryl ether imide)s containing electroactive perylene diimide and naphthalene diimide units

The synthesis and polymerization of two new electroactive bisphenols derived from 3,4,9,10‐perylenetetracarboxylic dianhydride and 1,4,5,8‐naphthalenetetracarboxylic dianhydride with 2‐(4‐aminophenyl)‐2‐(4‐hydroxyphenyl)propane, respectively, are described. Copolymerization using the two new bisphenols and 4,4′‐isopropylidenediphenol with bis(4‐fluorophenyl)sulfone and 4,4′‐difluorobenzophenone, afforded a series of soluble electrochromic poly(aryl ether imide)s with glass‐transition temperatures ranging from 160 to 315 °C. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 3467–3475, 2000     

Effect of acidification treatment and morphological stability of sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) copolymer proton‐exchange membranes for fuel‐cell use above 100 °C

Directly copolymerized wholly aromatic sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) copolymers derived from 4,4′‐biphenol, 4,4′‐dichlorodiphenyl sulfone, 3,3′‐disulfonated, and 4,4′‐dichlorodiphenyl sulfone (BPSH) were evaluated as proton‐exchange membranes for elevated temperature operation (100–140 °C). Acidification of the copolymer from the sulfonated form after the nucleophilic step (condensation) copolymerization involved either immersing the solvent‐cast membrane in sulfuric acid at 30 °C for 24 h and washing with water at 30 °C for 24 h (method 1) or immersion in sulfuric acid at 100 °C for 2 h followed by similar water treatment at 100 °C for 2 h (method 2). The fully hydrated BPSH membranes treated by method 2 exhibited higher proton conductivity, greater water absorption, and less temperature dependence on proton conductivity as compared with the membranes acidified at 30 °C. In contrast, the conductivity and water absorption of a control perfluorosulfonic acid copolymer (Nafion 1135) were invariant with treatment temperature; however, the conductivity of the Nafion membranes at elevated temperature was strongly dependent on heating rate or temperature. Tapping‐mode atomic force microscope results demonstrated that all of the membranes exposed to high‐temperature conditions underwent an irreversible change of the ionic domain microstructure, the extent of which depended on the concentration of sulfonic acid sites in the BPSH system. The effect of aging membranes based on BPSH and Nafion at elevated temperature on proton conductivity is also discussed. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 2816–2828, 2003     

Influence of the bisphenol structure on the direct synthesis of sulfonated poly(arylene ether) copolymers. I

New sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) copolymers with high molecular weights were successfully synthesized with controlled degrees of disulfonation of up to 70 mol % via the direct copolymerization of sulfonated aromatic dihalides, aromatic dihalides, and one of four structurally distinct bisphenols. The disodium salts of the 3,3′‐disulfonated‐4,4′‐dichlorodiphenyl sulfone and 3,3′‐disulfonated‐4,4′‐difluorodiphenyl sulfone comonomers were synthesized via the sulfonation of 4,4′‐dichlorodiphenyl sulfone or 4,4′‐difluorodiphenyl sulfone with 30% fuming sulfuric acid at 110 °C. Four bisphenols (4,4′‐bisphenol A, 4,4′‐bisphenol AF, 4,4′‐biphenol, and hydroquinone) were investigated for the syntheses of novel copolymers with controlled degrees of sulfonation. The composition and incorporation of the sulfonated repeat unit into the copolymers were confirmed by ¹H NMR and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Solubility tests on the sulfonated copolymers confirmed that no crosslinking and probably no branching occurred during the copolymerizations. Tough, ductile films were solvent‐cast that exhibited increased water absorption with increasing degrees of sulfonation. These copolymers are promising candidates for high temperature proton‐exchange membranes in fuel cells, which will be reported separately in part II of this series. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 2264–2276, 2003     

A Novel Approach to Processing High‐Performance Polymers that Exploits Entropically Driven Ring‐Opening Polymerization

Summary: Blends of the poly(ether sulfone) derived from 4,4′‐biphenol and 4,4′‐dichlorodiphenylsulfone (Radel‐R™) with its homologous macrocyclic oligomers show greatly lowered melt viscosities relative to that of the parent polymer, potentially enabling more facile production and fabrication of fiber‐reinforced composite materials. The macrocycles can then undergo entropically driven ring‐opening polymerization in situ. The required blends can be obtained easily in one step, by carrying out polycondensations at concentrations lower than those usually used for polymer synthesis.

Percentage of MCOs 5 in the product as a function of total monomer concentration.     

Crown Ether Phase Transfer Catalysts for An Ionic Polymerization of Bisphenol A / 4,4′‐Dichlorodiphenyl Sulfone

Various crown ethers were prepared and applied as phase transfer catalysts for the an ionic copolymerization of bisphenol A and 4,4′‐dichlorodiphenyl sulfone monomers with alkali salts, e.g., NaNH₂, NaOH and KOH, as initiators. The catalytic abilities of various crown ethers for the an ionic polymerization of bisphenol A / 4,4′‐dichlorodiphenyl sulfone were found to be in the order: 15‐crown‐5 ? monobenzo‐15‐crown‐5 > 18‐crown‐6 > Dicyclohexano‐18‐crown‐6 > Dibenzo‐18‐crown‐6 > 12‐crown‐4 with sodium amide (NaNH₂) as initiator. Sodium amide was shown to be a better initiator than NaOH or KOH with monobenzo‐ 15‐crown‐5 as a catalyst. Effects of solvents and temperature on the crown ether catalytic polymerization were also investigated. Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) exhibited much better for the polymerization than other organic solvents, e.g., toluene, p‐xylene, dimethyl formamide and dioxane. Higher polymerization was found at higher temperatures and about 100% yield of poly(bisphenol A / sulfone) was obtained at 125 °C in 3 hr. The molecular weight of poly(bisphenol A / sulfone) as a function of reaction time was determined with gel permeation chromatography. Concentration effects of crown ether on % yield and molecular weight of poly(bisphenol A / sulfone) were also investigated and discussed.     

Copolymerization of elemental sulfur with cyclic(arylene disulfide) oligomers

Copolymerization reactions between cyclic(arylene disulfide) oligomers were studied. The cyclic disulfide oligomers derived from 4,4′-isopropylidene bisbenzenethiol gave soluble polysulfanes via copolymerization with S₈. The copolymerization reactions were studied both in solution and melt by GPC and NMR. Solution copolymerization reactions can only form polysulfanes with up to three to four sulfur linkages; however, melt copolymerization reactions gave polysulfanes with up to seven sulfur linkages (average). The melt copolymerization reactions between cyclic disulfide oligomers derived from 4,4′-thiobis(benzenethiol) and S₈ were studied using DSC, TGA, and DMTA. With increasing contents of sulfur in the polysulfanes, T_gs, 5% weight losses by TGA, and tan δ decreased. With seven sulfur linkages in the polymer, it is a rubber with a T_g of 12°C, a 5% weight loss by TGA of 249°C, and tan δ of 44°C, respectively. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 2961–2968, 1997     

Synthesis of hyperbranched degradable polymers by atom transfer radical (Co)polymerization of inimers with ester or disulfide groups

Degradable hyperbranched polymers with multiple alkyl halide chain ends were synthesized by the atom transfer radical polymerization of inimers containing ester (2‐(2′‐bromopropionyloxy)ethyl acrylate) or disulfide (2‐(2′‐bromoisobutyryloxy)ethyl 2′′‐methacryloyloxyethyl disulfide) groups. Both the homo‐ and copolymerizations (with styrene in the former case and methyl methacrylate in the latter) were studied. The hyperbranched polymers derived from the ester‐type inimer were hydrolytically degradable under basic conditions, whereas those derived from the disulfide‐containing inimer could be efficiently degraded in the presence of reducing agents such as tributylphosphine. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2009     

Block and star block copolymers by mechanism transformation. I. Synthesis of PTHF‐PSt‐PTHF by the transformation of ATRP into CROP

Polystyrene (PSt) with end‐terminal bromine (Br‐PSt‐Br) was synthesized by the atom transfer radical polymerization of styrene with the difunctional initiator 1,2‐bis(2′‐bromobutyryloxy)ethane in combination with CuBr and bipyridine. The Br‐PSt‐Br reacted with silver perchlorate at −78 °C, and the resulting macromolecular initiator was used to initiate the polymerization of tetrahydrofuran. Triblock poly(tetrahydrofuran)‐polystyrene‐poly(tetrahydrofuran) (PTHF‐PSt‐PTHF) diol was obtained after propagation at −15 °C. The conversion of the polymerization was measured by gas chromatography. The structures of the triblock copolymer PTHF‐PSt‐PTHF diol were characterized by ¹H NMR and gel permeation chromatography. The mechanism of cationic ring‐opening polymerization is discussed. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 337–344, 2000     

Synthesis and ring‐opening polymerization of macrocyclic aryl ketone oligomers

A series of macrocyclic aryl ketone oligomers were prepared by the reaction of phthaloyl dichloride or isophthaloyl dichloride with various bridge‐linking electron‐rich aromatic hydrocarbons 3a–d under pseudo‐high dilution conditions in the presence of Lewis base via Friedel–Crafts acylation reaction. Detailed structural characterization of these oligomers confirmed the cyclic nature by a combination of MALDI‐TOF‐MS, GPC, and ¹H NMR analyses. These cyclic ketone oligomers have high solubility in organic solvents and the cyclic oligomers derived from phthaloyl dichloride are amorphous. The cyclic ketone oligomers readily undergo anionic ring‐opening polymerization in the melt by using potassium 4,4′‐biphenoxide as the initiator, producing linear, high molecular weight poly(ether ketone)s. Moreover, the isothermal chemorheology of the ring‐opening polymerization of cyclic oligomers 4a and 4b was also investigated. The results show that the shear viscosity of the molten reactive mixture is lower than 10 Pa · S at a constant shear rate of 0.05 rad/sec and increases slowly in the initial stage of ring‐opening polymerization. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.