Facile one‐pot synthesis and thermal cyclopolymerization of aryl bistrifluorovinyl ether monomers bearing reactive pendant groups

A diverse pool of aryl bistrifluorovinyl ether (BTFVE) compounds with reactive pendant groups were prepared in a facile, high yielding three step “one‐pot” synthesis from commercial 4‐bromo(trifluorovinyloxy)benzene. Monomers were confirmed from ATR–FTIR, ¹H, ¹³C, and ¹⁹F NMR, and HRMS analysis. Aryl BTFVE compounds were thermally polymerized to afford perfluorocyclobutyl (PFCB) aryl ether polymers with high number–average molecular weight (M_n) for homopolymers (17,050–27,090) and copolymers with 4,4′‐bis(trifluorovinyloxy)biphenyl monomers (27,860–56,500). The PFCB aryl ether homo‐ and copolymers collectively possess high thermal stability (>299 °C in N₂) and are readily solution processable producing optically transparent films. The thermal polymerization was achieved and reactive moieties remained intact, aside from those functionalized with acrylates. In the case with acrylate functionalized polymers, orthogonal polymerization was achieved by first photopolymerizing the acrylates followed by thermal curing of the aryl trifluorovinyl ether endgroups. Preliminary results in this study produced the successful preparation of photodefinable PFCB aryl ether material. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 1887–1893, 2010     

A novel fluorine‐containing graft copolymer bearing perfluorocyclobutyl aryl ether‐based backbone and poly(methyl methacrylate) side chains

A series of novel graft copolymers consisting of perfluorocyclobutyl aryl ether‐based backbone and poly(methyl methacrylate) side chains were synthesized by the combination of thermal [2π + 2π] step‐growth cycloaddition polymerization of aryl bistrifluorovinyl ether monomer and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of methyl methacrylate. A new aryl bistrifluorovinyl ether monomer, 2‐methyl‐1,4‐bistrifluorovinyloxybenzene, was first synthesized in two steps from commercially available reagents, and this monomer was homopolymerized in diphenyl ether to provide the corresponding perfluorocyclobutyl aryl ether‐based homopolymer with methoxyl end groups. The fluoropolymer was then converted to ATRP macroinitiator by the monobromination of the pendant methyls with N‐bromosuccinimide and benzoyl peroxide. The grafting‐from strategy was finally used to obtain the novel poly(2‐methyl‐1,4‐bistrifluorovinyloxybenzene)‐g‐poly(methyl methacrylate) graft copolymers with relatively narrow molecular weight distributions (M_w/M_n ≤ 1.46) via ATRP of methyl methacrylate at 50 °C in anisole initiated by the Br‐containing macroinitiator using CuBr/dHbpy as catalytic system. These fluorine‐containing graft copolymers can dissolve in most organic solvents. This is the first example of the graft copolymer possessing perfluorocyclobutyl aryl ether‐based backbone. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2010     

Sulfonated poly(aryl ether ether ketone ketone)s containing fluorinated moieties as proton exchange membrane materials

A series of sulfonated poly(aryl ether ether ketone ketone)s statistical copolymers with high molecular weights were synthesized via an aromatic nucleophilic substitution polymerization. The sulfonation content (SC), defined as the number of sulfonic acid groups contained in an average repeat unit, could be controlled by the feed ratios of monomers. Flexible and strong membranes in sodium sulfonate form could be prepared by the solution casting method, and readily transformed to their proton forms by treating them in 2 N sulfuric acid. The polymers showed high T_gs, which increased with an increase in SC. Membranes prepared from the present sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone ketone) copolymers containing the hexafluoroisopropylidene moiety (SPEEKK‐6F) and copolymers containing the pendant 3,5‐ditrifluoromethylphenyl moiety (SPEEKK‐6FP) had lower water uptakes and lower swelling ratios in comparison with previously prepared copolymers containing 6F units. All of the polymers possessed proton conductivities higher than 1 × 10^?2 S/cm at room temperature, and proton conductivity values of several polymers were comparable to that of Nafion at high relative humidity. Their thermal stability, oxidative stability, and mechanical properties were also evaluated. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 2299–2310, 2006     

Hyperbranched poly(ether–urea)s using AB2‐type blocked isocyanate monomer and azide monomer: Synthesis,characterization, reactive end functionalization,and copolymerization with AB monomer

3,5‐bis(4‐aminophenoxy)phenyl phenylcarbamate—a novel AB₂‐type blocked isocyanate monomer and 3,5‐bis{ethyleneoxy(4‐aminophenoxy)}phenyl carbonyl azide—a novel AB₂‐type azide monomer were synthesized in high yield. Step‐growth polymerization of these monomers were found to give a first example of hyperbranched poly (aryl‐ether‐urea) and poly(aryl‐alkyl‐ether‐urea). Molecular weights (M_w) of the polymer were found to vary from 1,858 to 52,432 depending upon the monomer and experimental conditions used. The polydispersity indexes were relatively narrow due to the controlled regeneration of isocyanate functional groups for the polymerization reaction. The degree of branching (DB) was determined using ¹H‐NMR spectroscopy and the values ranged from 87 to 54%. All the polymers underwent two‐stage decomposition and were stable up to 300 °C. Functionalized end‐capping of poly(aryl‐ether‐urea) using phenylchloroformate and di‐t‐butyl dicarbonate (Boc)₂O changed the thermal properties and solubility of the polymers. Copolymerization of AB₂‐type blocked isocyante monomer with functionally similar AB monomer were also carried out. The molecular weights of copolymers were found to be in the order of 6 × 10⁵ with narrow dispersity. It was found that the T_g's of poly(aryl‐alkyl‐ether‐urea)s were significantly less (46–49 °C) compared to poly(aryl‐ether‐urea)s. Moreover the former showed melting transition at 154 °C, which was not observed in the latter case. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 2959–2977, 2007     

Synthesis and optical properties of poly(aryl ether ketone)s incorporating porphyrins in the backbones

A series of novel soluble poly(aryl ether ketone)s (PAEKs) based on 5,10‐bis(4‐hydroxyphenyl)?15,20‐diphenylporphyrin (cis‐DHTPP), 4,4′‐(hexafluoroisopropylidene) diphenol (6FBPA) and 4,4′‐difluorobenzophenone (DFB) were synthesized and characterized by FT‐IR, ¹H‐NMR, UV–vis and fluorescence spectroscopies. The intrinsic photophysical properties of porphyrins were preserved because of the absence of photoinduced electron transfer in the polymer chains. Investigation of the copolymers thermal properties indicated that these polymers had high glass transition temperatures and excellent thermal stabilities. The results of Z‐scan and optical limiting measurements manifested that incorporation of the porphyrin chromophore into the main chain engendered the novel PAEKs with superior nonlinear optical properties and optical limiting function, which could be effectively tuned by varying the molar ratio of porphyrin monomers. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 1282–1290     

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 properties of fluorine‐containing poly(aryl ether oxadiazole)s

Fluorine‐containing poly(aryl ether 1,3,4‐ozadiazole)s were synthesized by the nucleophilic aromatic substitution reaction of 2,5‐bis(2,3,4,5,6‐pentafluorophenyl)‐1,3,4‐oxadiazole and various bisphenols in the presence of potassium carbonate. The polymerizations were carried out at 30 °C in 1‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidinone to avoid the gelation caused by a crosslinking reaction at para and ortho carbons to the 1,3,4‐oxidiazole ring. The obtained polymers were all para‐connected linear structures. The obtained fluorine‐containing poly(aryl ether 1,3,4‐ozadiazole)s showed excellent solubility and afforded tough, transparent films by the solution‐casting method. They also exhibited a high glass transition temperature depending on the molecular structure, and the glass transition temperature could be controlled by the bisphenols in the range of 157–257 °C. They showed good thermal stability and excellent hydrophobicity due to the incorporation of the 2,3,5,6‐tetrafluoro‐1,4‐phenylene moiety. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 2855–2866, 2007     

Synthesis of ABA‐triblock and star‐diblock copolymers with poly(2‐adamantyl vinyl ether) and poly(n‐butyl vinyl ether) segments: New thermoplastic elastomers composed solely of poly(vinyl ether) backbones

ABA‐type triblock copolymers and AB‐type star diblock copolymers with poly(2‐adamantyl vinyl ether) [poly(2‐AdVE)] hard outer segments and poly(n‐butyl vinyl ether) [poly(NBVE)] soft inner segments were synthesized by sequential living cationic copolymerization. Although both the two polymer segments were composed solely of poly(vinyl ether) backbones and hydrocarbon side chains, they were segregated into microphase‐separated structure, so that the block copolymers formed thermoplastic elastomers. Both the ABA‐type triblock copolymers and the AB‐type star diblock copolymers exhibited rubber elasticity over wide temperature range. For example, the ABA‐type triblock copolymers showed rubber elasticity from about ?53 °C to about 165 °C and the AB‐type star diblock copolymer did from about ?47 °C to 183 °C with a similar composition of poly(2‐AdVE) and poly(NBVE) segments in the dynamic mechanical analysis. The AB‐type star diblock copolymers exhibited higher tensile strength and elongation at break than the ABA‐type triblock copolymers. The thermal decomposition temperatures of both the block copolymers were as high as 321–331 °C, indicating their high thermal stability. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

Membranes from poly(aryl ether)‐based ionomers containing multiblock segments of randomly distributed nanoclusters of 18 sulfonic acid groups

Multiblock copolymers 1a (M_n = 31,500–47,400) of sulfonated poly(aryl ether)s were synthesized by polycondensation of 4,4′‐difluorobenzophenone (DFBP), bis(4‐hydroxyphenyl)sulfone (BHPS), and an hydroxy‐terminated sulfonated oligomer, which was synthesized from DFBP and 2,2′,3,3′,5,5′‐hexaphenyl‐4,4′‐dihydroxybiphenyl a . The copolymerization of trimeric monomer b with DFBP and BHPS gave a series of copolymers 1b (M_n = 26,200–45,900). The copolymers were then sulfonated with chlorosulfonic acid to give ionomers 3a with hydrophilic multiblock segments and ionomers 3b with segments containing clusters of 18 sulfonic acid groups. The proton exchange membranes cast from ionomers 3a and 3b were characterized with regard to thermal stability, water uptake, proton conductivity, and morphology. Transmission electron microscopy images of 3a‐1 and 3b‐1 revealed a phase separation similar to that of Nafion that may explain their higher proton conductivities compared with randomly sulfonated copolymers. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 4762–4773, 2009     

Copoly(Aryl Ether)s Containing 1,10‐Phenanthroline Moieties

Abstract

Poly(aryl ether)s were synthesized by reaction of 4,7‐dichloro‐3,8‐diphenyl‐1,10‐phenanthroline and 4,7‐dichloro‐2,9‐dimethyl‐1,10‐phenanthroline with bisphenol A (BPA) in the presence of potassium carbonate in N,N‐dimethylacetamide or N‐methylpyrrolidinone. High molecular weight homopolymers could not be prepared because of the insolubility of the polymers resulting in premature precipitation from the reaction mixture. Soluble, high molecular weight copolymers were readily prepared containing up to 70 mol% of the 1,10‐phenanthroline moieties. The copolymers were all highly fluorescent with blue emission.     

Synthesis and polymerization of styrene monomers bearing spiroorthoester structure and volume change during crosslinking by double ring‐opening of the pendant spiroorthoesters of the obtained polymers

Novel styrene monomers bearing a five or seven‐membered spiroorthoester structure (SOE5, SOE7) were synthesized and their radical polymerizations as well as volume change during crosslinking of the obtained polymers were investigated. SOE5 and SOE7 were prepared from 4‐vinylbenzyl glycidyl ether and γ‐butyrolactone or ε‐caprolactone using boron trifluoride diethyl ether complex as a catalyst, respectively. Radical polymerizations of these monomers using 2,2′‐azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) gave the corresponding styrene‐based polymers with keeping the spiroorthoester structures unchanged. These polymers could be transformed to networked polymers by heating with a sulfonium antimonate, a thermally latent cationic polymerization initiator. Copolymerization of SOE5 or SOE7 with styrene at various compositions was carried out to efficiently obtain the corresponding copolymers, respectively. These polymers and copolymers showed little volume shrinkage or slight volume expansion during the crosslinking. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 1790–1795     

Synthesis and characterization of poly(arylene ether)s containing 6‐(4‐hydroxyphenyl)pyridazin‐3(2H)‐one or 6‐(4‐hydroxyphenyl)pyridazine moieties

A series of novel soluble pyridazinone‐ or pyridazine‐containing poly(arylene ether)s were prepared by a polycondensation reaction. The pyridazinone monomer, 6‐(4‐hydroxyphenyl)pyridazin‐3(2H)‐one ( 1 ), was synthesized from the corresponding acetophenone and glyoxylic acid in a simple one‐pot reaction. The pyridazinone monomer was successfully copolymerized with bisphenol A (BPA) or 1,2‐dihydro‐4‐(4‐hydroxyphenyl)phthalazin‐1(2H)‐one (DHPZ) and bis(4‐fluorophenyl)sulfone to form high‐molecular‐weight polymers. The copolymers had inherent viscosities of 0.5–0.9 dL/g. The glass‐transition temperatures (T_g's) of the copolymers synthesized with BPA increased with increasing content of the pyridazinone monomer. The T_g's of the copolymers synthesized from DHPZ with different pyridazinone contents were similar to those of the two homopolymers. The homopolymers showed T_g's from 202 to 291 °C by differential scanning calorimetry. The 5% weight loss temperatures in nitrogen measured by thermogravimetric analysis were in the range of 411–500 °C. 4‐(6‐Chloropyridazin‐3‐yl)phenol ( 2 ) was synthesized from 1 via a simple one‐pot reaction. 2 was copolymerized with 4,4′‐isopropylidenediphenol and bis(4‐fluorophenyl)sulfone to form high‐T_g polymers. The copolymers with less than 80 mol % pyridazinone or chloropyridazine monomers were soluble in chlorinated solvents such as chloroform. The copolymers with higher pyridazinone contents and homopolymers were not soluble in chlorinated solvents but were still soluble in dipolar aprotic solvents such as N‐methylpyrrolidinone. The soluble polymers could be cast into flexible films from solution. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 3328–3335, 2006     

Resistive switching polymer materials based on poly(aryl ether)s containing triphenylamine and 1,2,4‐triazole moieties

A series of poly(aryl ether)s were successfully prepared via aromatic nucleophilic substitution reaction from various bisphenols and a novel bipolar aryl difluoride monomer containing electron‐donor triphenylamine and electron‐acceptor 1,2,4‐triazole moieties. The poly(aryl ether)s exhibited excellent solubility in organic solvents such as dimethylformamide, chloroform, and tetrahydrofuran at room temperature. The poly(aryl ether)s showed high thermal stability with T_d10 higher than 500 °C and glass transition temperatures (T_g) higher than 187 °C. The thin films of the poly(aryl ether)s indicated bistable resistive switching behavior with ON/OFF current ratios as high as 10³. The switching on and switching off bias voltages of the poly(aryl ether)s were affected by the bisphenol moiety. The good resistive switching behavior of the poly(aryl ether)s made them promising candidates for future nonvolatile memory applications. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 6861–6871, 2008     

Fully aromatic poly(ether ketone)s bearing macrocycle pendants: Synthesis and crosslinking

This study reports a method to prepare fully aromatic poly(ether ketone) thermosets. The cyclization of 2′,5′‐dimethoxy[1,1′‐biphenyl]‐2,5‐diol and a difluoro monomer was carried out under pseudo high dilution condition. Two types of fully aromatic poly(ether ketone)s with macrocycle were successfully prepared by copolymerization of macrocycle of aryl ether ketone containing hydroxyphenyl groups, 4,4′‐(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphenol (HFBPA), and 4,4‐difluorobenzophenone. The obtained copolymers have high molecular mass, good solubility, and high glass transition temperatures in the presence of CsF, the crosslinking reaction of copolymers occurred and afforded fully aromatic thermoset poly(aryl ether ketone)s by ring‐opening reaction driven by entropy. After crosslinking, these copolymers show much higher glass transition temperatures, excellent thermal stability, and better mechanical strength. © Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 7002–7010, 2008     

Thianthrene as an activating group for the synthesis of poly(aryl ether thianthrene)s by nucleophilic aromatic substitution

A method for the preparation of poly(aryl ether thianthrene)s has been developed in which the aryl ether linkage is generated in the polymer‐forming reaction. The thianthrene heterocycle is sufficiently electron‐withdrawing to allow fluoro displacement with phenoxides by nucleophilic aromatic substitution. The monomer for this reaction, 2,7‐difluorothianthrene, can be synthesized in a moderate yield by a simple reaction sequence. Semiempirical calculations at the PM3 level suggest that 2,7‐difluorothianthrene is sufficiently activated, whereas NMR spectroscopy (¹H and ¹³C) indicates that the monomer is only slightly activated or (¹⁹F) not sufficiently activated for nucleophilic aromatic substitution. Model reactions with p‐cresol have demonstrated that the fluorine atoms on 2,7‐difluorothianthrene are readily displaced by phenoxides in high yields, and the process has been deemed suitable for polymer‐forming reactions. High‐molecular‐weight polymers have been produced from bisphenol A, bisphenol AF, and 4,4′‐biphenol. The polymers have been characterized with gel permeation chromatography, NMR spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry. The glass‐transition temperatures for the polymers of different compositions and molecular weights range from 138 to 181 °C, and all the polymers have shown high thermooxidative stability, with 5% weight loss values in an air environment approaching 500 °C. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 6353–6363, 2004     

Thermoresponsive NIPAM block copolymers containing densely grafted poly(vinyl ether) brushes synthesized by a combination of living cationic polymerization and RAFT polymerization

Diblock copolymers consisting of a multibranched polymethacrylate segment with densely grafted poly[2‐(2‐methoxyethoxy)ethyl vinyl ether] pendants and a poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) segment were synthesized by a combination of living cationic polymerization and RAFT polymerization. A macromonomer having both a poly[2‐(2‐methoxyethoxy)ethyl vinyl ether] backbone and a terminal methacryloyl group was synthesized by living cationic polymerization. The sequential RAFT copolymerizations of the macromonomer and N‐isopropylacrylamide in this order were performed in aqueous media employing 4‐cyanopentanoic acid dithiobenzoate as a chain transfer agent and 4,4′‐azobis(4‐cyanopentanoic acid) as an initiator. The obtained diblock copolymers possessed relatively narrow molecular weight distributions and controlled molecular weights. The thermoresponsive properties of these polymers were investigated. Upon heating, the aqueous solutions of the diblock copolymers exhibited two‐stage thermoresponsive properties denoted by the appearance of two cloud points, indicating that the densely grafted poly[2‐(2‐methoxyethoxy)ethyl vinyl ether] pendants and the poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) segments independently responded to temperature. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

Synthesis of semifluorinated block copolymers by atom transfer radical polymerization

Two sets of styrene‐based semifluorinated block copolymers, one with a perfluoroether pendant group and another with a perfluoroalkyl group, were synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization. Microphase separation of the block copolymers was established by small‐angle X‐ray scattering and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). DSC measurements also showed that the perfluoroether‐based polymer had a low glass‐transition temperature (?44 °C). Contact‐angle measurements indicated that the semifluorinated block copolymers had low surface energies (ca. 13 mJ/m²). These materials hold promise as low‐surface‐energy additives or surfactants for supercritical CO₂ applications. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 853–861, 2004     

Synthesis,thermal, and photocrosslinking studies of thermotropic liquid crystalline poly(benzylidene‐ether)esters containing α,β‐unsaturated ketone moiety in the main chain

A series of poly(benzylidene‐ether)esters containing a photoreactive benzylidene chromophore in the main chain were synthesized from 2,6‐bis(4‐hydroxy‐3‐methoxybenzylidene)cyclohexanone (BHMBCH) with various aliphatic and aromatic diacid chlorides by an interfacial polycondensation technique. The intrinsic viscosity of the synthesized homo and copolymers determined by Ubbelohde viscometer was found to be 0.12 to 0.17 dL/g. The molecular structure of the monomer and polymers was confirmed by FT‐IR, ¹H NMR, and ¹³C NMR spectral analyses. These polymers were studied for their thermal stability and photochemical properties. Thermal properties were evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). It was found that the polymers were stable up to 280 °C and start degrading thereafter. Increase in acid methylene spacer length decreased the thermal stability. The self‐extinguishing property of the synthesized polymers was studied by calculating the limiting oxygen index (LOI) value using a Van Krevelen's equation. The influence of the length of methylene spacer on phase transition was investigated using DSC and odd‐even effect has been observed. Hot‐stage optical polarizing microscopic (HOPM) study showed that most of the polymers exhibited birefringence and opalescence properties. The photolysis of liquid crystalline poly(benzylidene‐ether)esters revealed that α,β‐unsaturated ketone moiety in the main chain dimerises through 2π + 2π cycloaddition reaction to form a cyclobutane derivative and leads to crosslinking. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

Preparation,characterization, and properties of poly(aryl ether sulfone) systems with double‐decker silsesquioxane in the main chains by reactive blending

A series of copoly(aryl ether sulfone)s containing double‐decker‐shaped silsesquioxane (DDSQ) in the main chain was prepared. Toward this end, a novel diphenol polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane macromer was synthesized by hydrosilylation between 3,13‐dihydro octaphenyl double‐decker silsesquioxane (denoted dihydro DDSQ) and eugenol. The poly(aryl ether sulfone)s were synthesized from diphenol DDSQ, bisphenol A (BPA), and 4‐fluorophenyl sulfone using a one‐step high‐temperature solution method. By adjusting the ratio of diphenol DDSQ to BPA, copolymers with variable DDSQ content in the main chains were obtained. With increased DDSQ content in the main chain, the glass transition temperature decreased based on differential scanning calorimetry, and anti‐degradation was enhanced based on thermogravimetric analysis. Moreover, the dielectric constant κ of pure polymer (3.19 at 1 MHz) initially increased to 4.04 (DDSQ molar ratio = 10%), and then decreased to 2.68 at 1 MHz (DDSQ molar ratio = 100%). Crystallization behavior, solubility, and surface hydrophobicity were also investigated. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 780–788     

Structure‐controlled synthesis of novel soluble and thermally stable poly (aryl ether nitrile ether ketone ketone)/poly (aryl ether nitrile ether ketone biphenyl ketone) copolymers by electrophilic polycondensation

One new synthesis route was first designed to synthesize the biphenyl acid chloride (BPACl), and then a series of novel poly (aryl ether nitrile ether ketone ketone) (PENEKK)/poly (aryl ether nitrile ether ketone biphenyl ketone) (PENEKBK) copolymers with different controlled structure compositions were synthesized by electrophilic polycondensation and varying the molar ratio of BPACl to terephthaloyl chloride (TPC). The obtained PENEKK/PENEKBK copolymers were characterized by different physical and chemical techniques. The results showed, the copolymers with 10–50% molar contents of biphenyl moities exhibited good thermal properties with glass transition temperatures (T_gs) of 184–196°C, decomposition temperatures (T_ds) of 498–515°C, and good solubility in organic solvents (N‐Methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (NMP), N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF), and DMSO), indicating that they would have good potential for solvent processing. The thin films of the polymers had tensile strengths of 93.6–101.5 MPa, Young's moduli of 3.03–3.32 GPa, elongations at break of 9–14%, indicating they were strong materials. The densities of the obtained polymers were 1.31–1.40 g/cm^?3, which were far lower than those of some main inorganic materials (such as Fe, nearly 7.8 g/cm^?3), indicating that they would have possible potential for substituting some inorganic materials used as high temperature materials in some areas due to the merits of lightweight. Thus, the copolymers with 10–50% molar contents of biphenyl moities were promising polymer materials. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.