Imide-Aryl Ether Ketone Block Copolymers

Abstract

ABSTRACTImide-aryl ether ketone block copolymers were prepared and their morphology and thermal and mechanical properties investigated. The key feature of this copolymerization is the preparation of soluble aryl ether ketimine oliogmers which may be subsequently hydrolized to the aryl ether ether ketone form. A bis(amino) aryl ether ketimine oligomer was prepared via a nucleophilic aromatic substitution reaction with a molecular weight of 6,000 g/mol. The oligomer was co-reacted with 4,4′-oxydianiline (OI)A) and pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) diethyl ester diacyl chloride in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) in the presence of N-methylmorpholine. The copolymer compositions, determined by II-NMR, of the resulting amic ester based copolymers ranged from 8 to 20 wt% aryl ether ketimine content. Prior to imide formation, the ketimine moiety of the aryl ether ketimine block was hydrolyzed (p-toluene sulfonic acid) to the ketone form producing the aryl ether ether ketone block. Solutions of the copolymers were cast and cured to effect imidization, producing clear films. The copolymers displayed good thermal stability with decomposition temperatures in excess of 450°C. Multiphase morphologies were observed irrespective of the co-block type or composition.