SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF DEGRADABLE POLY(ANHYDRIDE-CO-IMIDES)

A series of poly(anhydride-co-imides) based on trimellitylimidoglycine (TMA-gly), pyromellitylimidoalanine (PMA-ala), sebacic acid (SE), or 1,6-bis(carboxyphenoxy)hexane (CPH) were synthesized by condensation p olymerization. Monomers and polymers were characterized by NMR and IR spectroscopy, elemental and thermogravimetric analyses, and thermal tr ansition temperatures. Contact angle, intrinsic viscosity, and compres sive strength measurements were also performed on the polymers. For al l polymer systems, the molecular weights decreased as the amount of im ide in the backbone increased. Polymers containing CPH are more hydrop hobic, have higher compressive strengths, have higher glass transition and decomposition temperatures relative to polymers containing SA, an d exhibit no melting transitions. The mechanical and thermal stability of the materials are increased by the incorporation of imide groups i n the polymer backbone. The selection of imide monomers, TMA-gly vs PM A-ala, can significantly affect the resulting polymer characteristics. Both imide monomers affect the hydrophobicity of the resulting polyme rs in similar ways, with the materials becoming more hydrophilic as th e imide content is increased. However, polymers containing PMA-ala hav e thermal transition temperatures that are higher than the correspondi ng polymers with TMA-gly.