Novel aromatic poly(ether ketone)s. Part 1.—Synthesis and thermal properties of poly(ether keto imide)s

Abstract

A range of aromatic polyimides have been prepared by polycondensation of novel diamines, having four to eight benzene rings linked by ether, ketone and sulfone groups, with a number of commercially available acid dianhydrides. The effect of systematic structural alterations on the thermal properties of the polymers has been evaluated and discussed in the light of the literature. This approach has allowed the synthesis of poly(ether keto imide)s which retain the high T_g associated with polyimides (ca. 270 °C) and yet have T_m values of ca. 370 °C which, in principle, would allow melt processing. Comparison is drawn with other favourable materials already described in the literature.