A novel approach to processing high-performance polymers that exploits entropically driven ring-opening polymerization

Ben-Haida, A., Colquhoun, H.M., Hodge, P. and Stanford, J.L. (2005) A novel approach to processing high-performance polymers that exploits entropically driven ring-opening polymerization. Macromolecular Rapid Communications, 26 (17). pp. 1377-1382. ISSN 1022-1336 doi: 10.1002/marc.200500364

Abstract/Summary

Blends of the poly(ether sulfone) derived from 4,4'-biphenol and 4,4'-dichlorodiphenylsulfone (Radel-R(TM)) 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.