Synthesis of thermally crosslinkable fluorine‐containing poly(arylene ether ketone)s—II. Propargyl ether terminated poly(arylene ether ketone)s

Novel thermally crosslinkable fluorine‐containing poly(arylene ether ketone)s comprised of 2,3,5, 6‐tetrafluoro‐1,4‐phenylene moiety were synthesized by the termination of polymer chain ends with propargyl ether groups in order to improve solvent resistance. Crosslinking reaction occurred over 250°C through the formation of both chromen ring and polyene structure. This structure change brought about not only the outstanding solvent resistance but also the increase in glass transition temperature (T_g). The cured films also exhibited excellent thermal stability, transparency and hydrophobicity derived from fluorine atoms. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis and sulfonation of poly(arylene ether)s containing tetraphenyl methane moieties

Novel poly(arylene ether)s with sulfonic acid containing pendent groups were successfully synthesized by the nucleophilic displacement of aromatic dihalides with bisphenols in an aprotic solvent in the presence of excess potassium carbonate followed by sulfonation with chlorosulfonic acid. The sulfonation took place only at the controlled positions on the phenyl rings due to the novel bisphenol structures designed. The sulfonic acid group containing polymers were very soluble in common organic solvents, such as dimethyl sulfoxide, N,N′‐dimethylacetamide, and dimethylformamide, but swelled only slightly in water. These sulfonic acid group containing polymers were readily cast into tough and smooth films from organic solvents. The synthesized polymers had high glass‐transition temperatures of 171.0–240.7 °C and high molecular weights of 15,600–33,000 Da. These films could potentially be used as proton‐exchange membranes for fuel cells. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 1779–1788, 2004     

Synthesis and thermal properties of poly(arylene ether ketone)s containing phthalazinone moieties

A series of novel poly(arylene ether ketone)s were synthesized from the reaction of hydroquinone and 4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2,3-phthalazin-1-one with 4,4′-difluorobenzophenone in N-cyclohexylpyrrolidinone containing anhydrous potassium carbonate. The polymers exhibited high glass transition temperatures together with excellent thermooxidative stability. The chain structure of these polymers was studied by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), wide-angle X-ray diffraction techniques (WAXD), and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). The experimental results indicated that these “as-made” copoly(aryleneketone)s containing hydroquinone moieties exhibited a block chain structure with segments which mainly consisted of hydroquinone and 4,4′-difluorobenzophenone. These chain segments resulted in crystallites in the polymers although they are thermodynamically unstable. The polymers showed thermal properties comparable to commercial PEEK, but the conditions for synthesis are much milder. The glass transition temperatures and solubilities of the copoly(arylene ketone)s tended to increase with increasing phthalazinone moiety content, while the crystallite melting points and crystallinity appeared to decrease. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 1781–1788, 1999     

Synthesis and properties of poly[arylene ether (N-arylenebenzimidazole)]s

Poly(arylene ether)s containing N-arylenebenzimidazole groups were prepared by the aromatic nucleophilic displacement reaction of two new bis(hydroxyphenyl-N-arylenebenzimidazole)s with activated aromatic difluorides in sulfolane at 200°C in the presence of anhydrous potassium carbonate. The bis(hydroxyphenyl-N-arylenebenzimidazole)s were prepared from bis(o-aminoanilino) arylenes and phenyl-4-hydroxybenzoate. The polymers were soluble in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone and m-cresol and exhibited inherent viscosities from 0.37–0.86 dL/g and glass transition temperatures from 219–289°C. Thermogravimetric analyses showed 5% weight losses from 463–506°C in air and 467–522°C in nitrogen. Unoriented thin films exhibited tensile strengths, moduli, and break elongations at 23°C of 10.2–12.5 ksi, 318–365 ksi, and 4–7%, respectively, and at 177°C of 5.1–6.9 ksi, 256–296 ksi, and 1–5%, respectively. A 50 : 50 random copolymer prepared from 1,3-bis(4-fluorobenzoyl) benzene, 1,1'-(4,4'-biphenylene)-bis[2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)benzimidazole], and 5,5'-bis[2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)benzimidazole] exhibited higher moisture absorption and lower tensile properties than those predicted by a rule of mixtures relationship. The chemical, physical, and mechanical properties of these polymers are discussed. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.?     

Synthesis and properties of sulfonated poly(arylene ether)s containing azole groups

Random and multiblock sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone)s (SPEs) containing various azole groups such as oxadiazole and triazole were synthesized and characterized for fuel cell application. Successful preparation of SPE membranes depended on the structure of azole groups, which affected solubility of precursors and the resulting SPEs. Although oxadiazole groups were incorporated into hydrophobic component, they were found to be hydrophilic to give higher proton conductivity. Introduction of oxadiazole groups into random SPE gave comparable proton conductivity to that of Nafion NRE at >60% relative humidity at 80 °C. Block copolymer structure further increased the proton diffusion coefficient without increasing ion exchange capacity. Hydrolytic and oxidative stability of the SPE membranes was affected by both hydrophilic and hydrophobic components. Oxadiazole groups gave negative impact on hydrolytic and mechanical stability to the SPE membranes. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Synthesis and properties of novel poly(arylene ether)s and poly(arylene thioether)s based on a pyridazine biphenol or a phthalazine biphenol

Novel sulfur‐containing biphenol monomers were prepared in high yields by the reaction of 4‐mercaptophenol with chloropyridazine or chlorophthalazine compounds. High‐molecular‐weight poly(arylene ether)s were synthesized by a nucleophilic substitution reaction between these sulfur‐containing monomers and activated difluoro aromatic compounds. The inherent viscosities of these polymers ranged from 0.34 to 0.93 dL/g. The poly(pyridazine)s exhibited glass‐transition temperatures greater than 165 °C. The poly(phthalazine)s showed higher glass‐transition temperatures than the poly(pyridazine)s. A polymer synthesized from a bisphthalazinebiphenol and bis(4‐fluorophenyl)sulfone had the highest glass‐transition temperature (240 °C). The thermal stabilities of the poly(pyridazine)s and poly(phthalazine)s showed similar patterns of decomposition, with no significant weight loss below 390 °C. The poly(phthalazine)s were soluble in chlorinated solvents such as chloroform, and the poly(pyridazine)s were soluble in dipolar aprotic solvents such as N,N′‐dimethylacetamide. The soluble poly(pyridazine)s and poly(phthalazine)s could be cast into flexible films from solution. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 262–268, 2007     

Synthesis and characterization of new poly(arylene ether)s containing heterocyclic units. II.

A series of new poly(arylene ether)s, containing naphthalene, pyridine, and quinoline units have been prepared by solution condensation polymerization. The synthesis involves nucleophilic displacement of aromatic dihalides with aromatic potassium bisphenates in an anhydrous dipolar aprotic solvent at elevated temperatures. The polymers, having inherent viscosity from 0.24 to 1.32 dL/g, were obtained in quantitative yield, have excellent thermal stability as shown by 10% weight loss temperatures in nitrogen and air (above 450 and 430°C, respectively) and high glass transition temperatures (in the range of 150–220°C). The introduction of quinoline moieties in the polymer backbone positively influences the thermal properties, such as high T_g/T_m ratios. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Studies on calcium‐containing poly(urethane ether)s

The calcium salt of mono(hydroxyethoxyethyl)phthalate [Ca(HEEP)₂] was synthesized by the reaction of diethylene glycol, phthalic anhydride, and calcium acetate. Calcium‐containing poly(urethane ether)s (PUEs) were synthesized by the reaction of hexamethylene diisocyanate (HMDI) or tolylene 2,4‐diisocyanate (TDI) with a mixture of Ca(HEEP)₂ and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG₃₀₀ or PEG₄₀₀) with di‐n‐butyltin dilaurate as a catalyst. A series of calcium‐containing PUEs of different compositions were synthesized with Ca(HEEP)₂/PEG₃₀₀ (or PEG₄₀₀)/diisocyanate (HMDI or TDI) molar ratios of 2:2:4, 3:1:4, and 1:3:4 so that the coating properties of the PUEs could be studied. Blank PUEs without calcium‐containing ionic diols were also prepared by the reaction of PEG₃₀₀ or PEG₄₀₀ with HMDI or TDI. The PUEs were well characterized by Fourier transform infrared, ¹H and ¹³C NMR, solid‐state cross‐polarity/magic‐angle‐spinning ¹³C NMR, viscosity, solubility, and X‐ray diffraction studies. The thermal properties of the polymers were also studied with thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. The PUEs were applied as top coats on acrylic‐coated leather, and their physicomechanical properties were also studied. The coating properties of PUEs, such as the tensile strength, elongation at break, tear strength, water vapor permeability, flexing endurance, cold crack resistance, abrasion resistance, color fastness, and adhesive strength, were better than the standard values. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 2865–2878, 2003     

Synthesis and proton conductivities of phosphonic acid containing poly‐(arylene ether)s

A novel phosphonic acid containing bisphenol was successfully synthesized from phenolphthalein and m‐aminophenylphosphonic acid. A series of homo‐ and copoly‐(arylene ether)s containing phosphonic acid groups were prepared by solution nucleophilic polycondensation. These phosphonic acid containing polymers can readily be dissolved in common organic solvents, such as dimethyl sulfoxide, N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidinone, and N‐cyclohexylpyrrolidinone, and can be cast into tough and smooth films. The presence of phosphonic acid pendants in the poly‐(arylene ether)s was confirmed by NMR, matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry, and conductivity measurements. This is the first report on the attachment of phenylphosphonic acid groups as side chains to aromatic polyethers. These poly‐(arylene ether)s had very high glass‐transition temperatures ranging from 254 to >315 °C and high molecular weights. The conductivities of the synthesized polymers were analyzed by the Cole–Cole method, and they ranged from 10^?5 to 10^?6 Scm^?1. The synthesized polymers also exhibited good solution processability. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 39: 3218–3226, 2001     

Synthesis and characterization of soluble,fluorescent poly(arylene ether)s,poly(arylene thioether)s,and poly(arylene sulfone)s containing 1,3,5‐triphenylbenzene segments

The bisphenol 4,4″‐dihydroxy‐5′‐phenyl‐m‐terphenyl ( 4 ), containing a 1,3,5‐triphenylbenzene moiety, was synthesized from a pyrylium salt obtained by the reaction of benzaldehyde with p‐methoxyacetophenone with boron trifluoride etherate as a condensing agent. Polymers were obtained from 4 by a nucleophilic displacement reaction with various activated difluoro monomers and with K₂CO₃ as a base. A series of new poly(arylene ether)s ( 8a – 8f ) were obtained that contained phenyl‐substituted m‐terphenyl segments in the polymer chain. Polymers with inherent viscosities of 0.41–0.99 dL/g were obtained in yields greater than 96%. The polymers were soluble in a variety of organic solvents, including nonpolar solvents such as toluene. Clear, transparent, and flexible films cast from CHCl₃ showed high glass‐transition temperatures (T_g = 198–270 °C) and had excellent thermal stability, as shown by temperatures of 5% weight loss greater than 500 °C. 4 was converted via N,N‐dimethyl‐O‐thiocarbamate into the masked dithiol 4,4″‐bis(N,N′‐dimethyl‐S‐thiocarbamate)‐5′‐phenyl‐m‐terphenyl and was polymerized with activated difluoro compounds in the presence of a mixture of Cs₂CO₃ and CaCO₃ as a base in diphenyl sulfone as a solvent. A series of new poly(arylene thioether)s ( 9a – 9e ) were obtained with T_g values similar to those of 8a – 8e . 9a – 9e were further oxidized into poly(arylene sulfone)s with T_g values 40–80 °C higher than those for 8a – 8e and 9a – 9e . These polymers also had good solubility in organic solvents. A sulfonic acid group was selectively introduced onto the pendent phenyl group of polymers 8a and 8f by reaction with chlorosulfonic acid. The polymers were soluble in dipolar aprotic solvents and formed films via casting from dimethylformamide. Polymers 8a – 8f , 11a , and 11f showed blue and red fluorescence under ultraviolet–visible light with emission maxima at 380–440 nm. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 496–510, 2002; DOI 10.1002/pola.10136     

Synthesis and properties of new crystalline poly(arylene ether)s containing pendant benzoyl groups

Poly(arylene ether)s ( 3 ) containing pendant benzoyl groups were prepared by the aromatic substitution reaction of 2,5-difluoro-4-benzoylbenzophenone (2) with hydroquinone ( 1a ) and methylhydroquinone ( 1b ) in the presence of potassium carbonate in N,N-dimethylacetamide. The polycondensation proceeded smoothly at 165°C and produced poly(arylene ether)s with inherent viscosities up to 0.8 dL/g. The polymer ( 3b ) derived from methylhydroquinone was quite soluble in common organic solvents and could be processed into uniform films from solutions. On the other hand, the polymer ( 3a ) derived from hydroquinone was only soluble in pentafluorophenol and methanesulfonic acid and had a high crystallinity. These polymers showed 10% weight losses at around 420 and 490°C in nitrogen. Polymer 3b also showed good tensile strength and tensile moduli. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 605–611, 1997     

Synthesis and optical properties of fluorinated poly(arylene ether phosphine oxide)s

Fluorinated dihydroxy phosphine oxide monomers were synthesized via chlorination, Grignard, and demethylation techniques. The prepared monomer was successfully polymerized with each of the three perfluorinated monomers (decafluorobiphenyl, decafluorobenzophenone, and pentafluorophenylsulfide) by nucleophilic aromatic substitution. The average molecular weight ranged between 7800 and 14,900 g/mol. The glass‐transition temperatures of the polymers were registered in the range of 185–235 °C, and all the polymers exhibited high thermal stability up to 326–408 °C. The results of the refractive‐index measurements indicated control of the refractive index between 1.5181 and 1.5536 and an optical loss of 0.53 dB/cm at 1550 nm. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 1497–1503, 2003     

Water‐soluble poly(ethylene oxide)‐block‐poly(p‐phenylene vinylene) copolymer: Synthesis and characterization

Water‐soluble and photoluminescent block copolymers [poly(ethylene oxide)‐block‐poly(p‐phenylene vinylene) (PEO‐b‐PPV)] were synthesized, in two steps, by the addition of α‐halo‐α′‐alkylsulfinyl‐p‐xylene from activated poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) chains in tetrahydrofuran at 25 °C. This copolymerization, which was derived from the Vanderzande poly(p‐phenylene vinylene) (PPV) synthesis, led to partly converted PEO‐b‐PPV block copolymers mixed with unreacted PEO chains. The yield, length, and composition of these added sequences depended on the experimental conditions, namely, the order of reagent addition, the nature of the monomers, and the addition of an extra base. The addition of lithium tert‐butoxide increased the length of the PPV precursor sequence and reduced spontaneous conversion. The conversion into PPV could be achieved in a second step by a thermal treatment. A spectral analysis of the reactive medium and the composition of the resulting polymers revealed new evidence for an anionic mechanism of the copolymerization process under our experimental conditions. Moreover, the photoluminescence yields were strongly dependant on the conjugation length and on the solvent, with a maximum (70%) in tetrahydrofuran and a minimum (<1%) in water. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 4337–4350, 2005     

Synthesis and characterization of phthalazinone containing poly(arylene ether)s via a novel N–C coupling reaction

High‐molecular‐weight poly(phthalazinone)s with very high glass‐transition temperatures (T_g's) were synthesized via a novel N–C coupling reaction. New bisphthalazinone monomers ( 7a–e ) were synthesized from 2‐(4‐chlorobenzoyl) phthalic acid in two steps. Poly(phthalazinone)s, having inherent viscosities in the range of 0.34–0.91 dL/g, were prepared by the reaction of the bis(phthalazinone) monomers with an activated aryl halide in a dipolar aprotic solvent in the presence of potassium carbonate. The poly(phthalazinone)s exhibited T_g's greater than 230 °C. polymer 8b synthesized from diphenyl biphenol and bis(4‐flurophenyl) sulfone demonstrated the highest T_g of 297 °C. Thermal stabilities of the poly(phthalazinone)s were determined by thermogravimetric analysis. All the poly(phthalazinone)s showed a similar pattern of decomposition with no weight loss below 450 °C in nitrogen. The temperatures of 5% weight loss were observed to be about 500 °C. The poly(phthalazinone)s containing 4,4′‐isopropylidenediphenol and 4,4′‐(hexafluoroisopropylidene) diphenol and diphenyl ether linkage were soluble in chlorinated solvents such as chloroform. Other poly‐(phthalazinone)s were soluble in dipolar aprotic solvents such as N,N′‐dimethylacetamide. The soluble poly(phthalazinone)s can be cast as flexible films from solution. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 2481–2490, 2003     

Synthesis of novel polyxanthenes from poly(arylene ether)s containing benzoyl groups

Poly(arylene ether)s ( 3 ), ( 4 ) containing pendant benzoyl groups as precursors for novel polyxanthenes ( 7 ), ( 8 ) were prepared by nucleophilic substitution reaction of 2,5-difluoro-4-benzoylbenzophenone ( 1 ) or 2,5-difluoro-4-(4-dodecylbenzoyl)-4′-dodecylbenzophenone ( 2 ) with hydroquinone derivatives in the presence of potassium carbonate in N,N-dimethylacetamide. The polycondensation proceeded smoothly at 165°C and produced poly(arylene ether)s with inherent viscosities up to 0.80 dL/g. The novel polyxanthenes were synthesized via the reduction of poly(arylene ether)s followed by the Friedel-Crafts cyclization of diol polymers. The structure of the polyxanthenes was characterized by ¹H-NMR and IR spectroscopies. Polyxanthene 8 was quite soluble in chloroform and THF. The 10% weight loss temperature of polyxanthene 7 was 510°C in nitrogen and it was 90°C higher than the corresponding poly(arylene ether) 3 . © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 2267–2272, 1997     

Development of an efficient route to hyperbranched poly(arylene ether sulfone)s

A two‐step route to an AB₂ monomer that underwent polymerization via nucleophilic aromatic substitution to afford hyperbranched poly(arylene ether sulfone)s (HB PAES) was developed. The synthesis of 3,5‐difluoro‐4′‐hydroxydiphenyl sulfone ( 4 ) was accomplished by the reaction of 3,5‐difluorophenylmagnesium bromide with 4‐methoxyphenylsulfonyl chloride, followed by deprotection of the phenol group with HBr in acetic acid. The polymerization of 4 in the presence of 3,4,5‐trifluorophenylsulfonyl benzene or tris(3,4,5‐trifluorophenyl)phosphine oxide as a core molecule afforded HB PAES with number‐average molecular weights ranging from 3400 to 8400 Da and polydispersity index values ranging from 1.5 to 4.8. The presence of cyclic oligomeric species, formed by an intramolecular cyclization process, was a contributing factor to the relatively low molecular weights. The degree of branching (DB) of the HB PAES samples was estimated by a comparison of the ¹⁹F NMR spectra of the polymer samples with those of a series of model compounds, and DB values ranging from 0.51 to 0.70 were determined. The glass‐transition temperatures for the HB PAES samples were in the range of 205–222 °C, as determined by differential scanning calorimetry. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43:3178–3187, 2005     

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     

Preparation and thermal properties of asymmetrically substituted poly(silylenemethylene)s

Poly(silylenemethylene)s of the types [SiMeRCH₂]_n and [SiHRCH₂]_n were prepared by the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of 1,3-disilacyclobutanes (DSCBs) containing n-alkyl substituents, such as C₂H₅, n-C₃H₇, n-C₄H₉, n-C₅H₁₁, and n-C₆H₁₃, or a phenyl group on the Si. These new polymers include a monosilicon analog of poly(styrene), [SiHPhCH₂]_n. Improved synthesis routes to the DSCB monomers were developed which proceed through Grignard ring closure reactions on alkoxy-substituted chlorocarbosilanes. All of these asymmetrically substituted polymers were obtained in high molecular weight form, except for [SiHPhCH₂]_n. The configurations of all of the polymers were found to be atactic. The aryl-substituted polymers have higher glass transition temperatures (T_gs) and thermal stability than those of the alkyl-substituted poly(silylenemethylene)s. Unlike the polyolefins of the type [C(H)(R)CH₂]_n, where T_g drops continuously from R = Me to n-Hex, the T_gs of the n-C_nH_2n+1 (n = 2–6)-substituted [SiMeRCH₂]_n PSM's appear to reach a maximum (at −61°C) for the R = n-Pr-substituted polymer. Moreover, where it was possible to make direct comparisons among similarly substituted atactic polymers, all of the poly(silylenemethylene)s were found to have lower T_gs than their all-carbon analogs. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 3193–3205, 1997     

Synthesis of new thermosetting poly(2,6‐dimethyl‐1,4‐phenylene oxide)s containing epoxide pendant groups

A new class of thermosetting poly(2,6‐dimethyl‐1,4‐phenylene oxide)s containing pendant epoxide groups were synthesized and characterized. These new epoxy polymers were prepared through the bromination of poly(2,6‐dimethyl‐1,4‐phenylene oxide) in halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons followed by a Wittig reaction to yield vinyl‐substituted polymer derivatives. The treatment of the vinyl‐substituted polymers with m‐chloroperbenzoic acid led to the formation of epoxidized poly(2,6‐dimethyl‐1,4‐phenylene oxide) with variable pendant ratios, and the structures and properties were studied with nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and gel permeation chromatography. The ratios of pendant functional groups were tailored for the polymer properties, and the results showed that the glass‐transition temperatures increased as the benzylic protons were replaced by bromo‐, vinyl‐, or epoxide‐functional groups, whereas the thermal stability decreased in comparison with the original polymer. Within a molar fraction of 20–50%, the degree of functionalization had little effect on the glass‐transition temperature; however, it correlated inversely with the thermal stability of each functionalized polymer. The thermal curing behavior of the epoxide‐functionalized polymer was enhanced by the increment of the pendant functionality, which resulted in a significant increase in the glass‐transition temperature as well as the thermal stability after the curing reaction. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 5875–5886, 2006     

Synthesis and characterization of copoly(arylene sulfide)s

Copolymerizations of p-dichlorobenzene (DCB)/4-bromophenyl ether (BPE), DCB/4,4′-dibromobiphenyl (DBB), and DBB/BPE pairs with sodium sulfide under high temperature (270–290°C) utilizing N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP) as solvent were carried out to give C(DCB/BPE), C(DCB/DBB), and C(DBB/BPE) copolymers, respectively. The reactivity of dihaloaromatic monomers toward thiolate anion in the polycondensation reaction followed the order DBB > DCB > BPE. The reactivity gap between DBB and DCB toward thiolate anion seemed to be smaller than that between BPE and DCB, resulting in both high yield and high molecular weight in the C(DCB/DBB) copolymers compared to C(DCB/BPE) copolymers. The copolymerization of DBB/BPE pair with sodium sulfide, which has larger reactivity gap than the DCB/DBB or DCB/BPE pair, gave mixtures of PBS and PPSE homopolymers especially in the range of 50–80 mol % BPE in the feed. The C(DCB/DBB) and C(DCB/BPE) copolymers, however, exhibited random copolymer character in all comonomer ratios in the feed as evidenced by copolymer composition and DSC data. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 2311–2317, 1999