SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION, AND BLENDS OF HIGH-TEMPERATURE POLY(ARYLETHER SULFONE)S

The preparation of poly(4-oxy-1,4-phenylenesulfonyl-4,4'-biphenylene-4-sulfonylphenylene) (PBP) has been accomplished by the base mediated, polycondensation reaction between two biphenyl containing monomers. The bisphenol, 4,4'-bis[(4-hydroxyphenyl) sulfonyl]biphenyl (HSB), was reacted with 4,4'-bis[(4-chlorophenyl)sulfonyl]biphenyl (CSB) in tetramethylene sulfone solvent. The highest mechanical properties and glass transition temperature was observed for polymer PBP with a reduced viscosity around 1.0 dL/g. Consequently, the current synthesis route provides polymer with higher properties than other historical preparative routes. Blends of PBP with a different poly (ether sulfone) were miscible based on the observance of a single glass transition temperature. The T(g)s of the polymer blends exhibited an unusual positive deviation from the weighted linear averages of the components.