Thermoplastic poly(ester-imide)s derived from anhydride-terminated polyester prepolymer and diisocyanate

The phase-separation behavior of thermoplastic poly(ester-imide) [P(E-I)] multiblock copolymers, (A-B)(n)), was investigated by a stepwise variation of the imide content. All the multiblock copolymers were synthesized by solution polycondensation with dimethylformamide as a solvent. P(E-I)s were prepared with anhydride-terminated polyester prepolymer and diisocyanates. Polyester prepolymers were prepared by the reaction of pyromellitic dianhydride and two different polyols [poly(tetramethylene oxide glycol) (PTMG) and polycaprolactone diol (PCL)I. Structural determination was done with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Fourier transform NMR, and the molecular weight was determined by gel permeation chromatography. The effect of the imide content on the thermal properties of the synthesized P(E-I)s was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. The polymers were also characterized for static and dynamic mechanical properties. Thermal analysis data indicated that the polymers based on PTMG were stable up to 330degreesC in nitrogen atmosphere and exhibited phase-separated morphology. Polymers based on PCL showed multistage decomposition, and the films derived from them were too fragile to be characterized for static and dynamic mechanical properties. (C) 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 341-350, 2004