Hyperbranched Poly(amide-ester) Mildly Synthesized and Its Characterization

AB2-type-prepolymerized monomer was rapidly (2 h) prepared at room temperature (25 oC) using commercially available maleic anhydride (MA) and diethanolamine (DEA) as raw materials. By employing toluene-p-sulfonic acid as a catalyzer, a series of hyperbranched poly(ami-de-ester) (HBPAE) were successfully synthesized from prepared AB2 monomer by solution condensation polymerization through "one-step process" or "pseudo one-step process" (using pen-taerythritol as a center core). The processes were carried out at high temperature of 120 °C for 6 h in air atmosphere (inert protection free) with reduced pressure distillation (0.08～0.096 MPa). The results of FT-IR, UV-Vis, TGA, and intrinsic viscosity testing by Ubbelodhe viscometer showed that the prepared HBPAEs possess three-dimensional configuration with unsaturated conjugate structure, large numbers of branches and numerous terminal hydroxyl groups. These result in their low viscosity, high solubility and thermal stability.