Synthesis and properties of polyamides with [60]fullerene in the main chain

Abstract

A novel series of polyamides having [60]fullerene moieties in the main chain were synthesized by a direct polycondensation of [60]fullerenobis(acetic acid) or [60]fullerenobis(acetic acid)/isophthalic acid mixture with a diamine in the presence of triphenyl phosphite and pyridine. Various properties of the polyamides were characterized by means of IR, GPC, TGA, DSC, UV–visible, and photoluminescence. The molecular weight Mw of the [60]fullerene-containing polyamides was observed in the range from about 300,000 to 3,000; upon the changing of the ratio of [60]fullerenobis(acetic acid)/isophthalic acid in the starting mixture, the resulting Mw decreased with increasing the ratio. Most of the thermal and optical properties gradually changed as the ratio changed; the major optical absorption band in visible range exhibited a significant tailing, which shifted toward a longer wavelength, while the photoluminescence spectrum red-shifted with increasing [60]fullerene content. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 3139–3146, 1998