SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF FLAME RESISTANT POLY(ARYLENE ETHER)S

Hydrolytically stable phosphorus-containing monomers, such as 4,4'-bis (fluorophenyl)methylphosphine oxide (BFPMPO), 4,4'-bis(hydroxyphenyl)m ethylphosphine oxide (BOHPMPO), and 4,4-bis(hydroxyphenyl)phenylphosph ine oxide (BOHPPO), were synthesized and used in nucleophilic aromatic substitution polycondensation to prepare poly(arylene ether phosphine oxide) engineering thermoplastics. The synthesis and characterization of these novel polymers are described. It was determined that by inco rporating the phosphine oxide moiety into the polymer backbone, certai n properties of the resulting poly(arylene ether) were substantially i mproved, such as an increase in T-g, thermal stability in air, modulus , and char yield compared with control poly(arylene ether sulfone)s. T he high char yields obtained for these polymers in air along with obse rved intumescence indicates that these materials have improved fire re sistance. Preliminary cone calorimetry measurements support this concl usion.