| Abstract: | Polyamides from n-alkylmalonic acids and linear aliphatic diamines, with paraffinic side chains of 3–18 carbon atoms, were prepared by melt polycondensation or by low-temperature interfacial polycondensation and were characterized by infrared, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and x-ray diffraction techniques. First-order transitions were found in the range of 130–210°C, depending on the number of carbon atoms in the side chain. The x-ray diffraction indicated substantially amorphous systems for polyamides with 8–18 carbon atoms in the side chain. However, long-range order arises in these polymers from a solid-state structure in which polyamide and hydrocarbon layers having partially disordered chain conformations alternate. |
