THE SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF AMINE-TERMINATED POLY(ARYL ETHER KETONE)S AS A FUNCTION OF SIDE-GROUP AND MOLECULAR-WEIGHT

It is shown that amine-terminated poly (aryl ether ketone)s based on t he reaction of 4,4'-difluorobenzophenone, and a substituted hydroquino ne [either methylhydroquinone (MePK), t-butylhydroquinone (tBPK), or p henylhydroquinone (PhPK)] of controlled molecular weight and high amin e-termination efficiency can be synthesized by a two-step reaction tec hnique. Attempts to synthesize analogous materials by a one-step metho d were shown to be unsuccessful. The side groups are shown to have a l arge influence on the aromatic proton chemical shifts and this effect is characterized. The side groups and molecular weight are also shown to influence the thermal transitions of the respective polymers. The t BPK polymer possessed the highest glass transition temperature, while the MePK polymer was found to be the only semi-crystalline polymer; a unit cell is proposed. The side groups and molecular weight effects ar e also characterized as a function of thermal stability and mechanical properties. (C) 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.