Synthesis and gas permeability of membranes of silyl‐substituted poly(p‐phenylenevinylene)s

Abstract

Abstractp‐Bis(bromomethyl)benzene with silyl groups [SiMe3(2a), SiEt3(2b), SiMe2‐t‐Bu (2c), SiMe2‐n‐Bu (2d), SiMe2‐n‐C8H17 (2e), SiMe2‐n‐C18H37 (2f)] were polymerized by a modified Gilch route to afford silyl‐substituted poly(p‐phenylenevinylene)s (3a–f). The polymer containing SiMe3 groups (3a) was insoluble in any solvents, while the other polymers (3b–f) were soluble in organic solvents. They had relatively high molecular weight over 3.6 × 104, and gave free‐standing membranes by solution casting method. According to thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), the silyl‐substituted poly(p‐phenylenevinylene)s showed high thermal stability (Td ≥ 300°C). The oxygen permeability coefficients of membranes of the silyl‐substituted poly(p‐phenylenevinylene)s (3b–f) were in the range of 3.5–12 barrers, and the poly(p‐phenylenevinylene)s with long alkyl silyl groups, 3e and 3f, exhibited the highest gas permeability among them. This is the first report on gas permeability of poly(p‐phenylenevinylene)s. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010