SYNTHESIS AND PROPERTIES OF POLYETHER KETONES

Polyether ketones were prepared by the nucleophilic reaction of dihalo aromatic ketones with aromatic bisphenols (hydroquinone, resorcinol an d 4,4-dihydroxybenzophenone) using various solvents in the presence of anhydrous K2CO3. Dihaloaromatic ketones 4,4-difluorobenzophenone/4,4- dichlorobenzophenone) were prepared from the reaction of fluorobenzene /chlorobenzene with carbon tetrachloride in the form of AlCl3. The pol ymers were characterized by different physico-chemical techniques. The rmogravimetric studies showed that all the polymers were stable upto 5 00-degrees-C with a char yield above 50% at 900-degrees-C in N2 atmosp here. Isothermal degradation at 400-degrees-C under air and N2 atmosph ere reveals about 5% weight loss and about 1% weight loss at 75 min re spectively. The effect of solvents, reaction temperature and reaction time on molecular weights are discussed. The effect of the annealing t ime on crystallinity of the polymers is also discussed.