SYNTHESIS AND PHYSICAL-PROPERTIES OF POLY(ARYL ETHER)S CONTAINING DIPHENYLACETYLENE MOIETIES

Poly(aryl ethers containing diphenylacetylene moieties in the backbone have been synthesized. When the polymers are heated an exothermic rea ction, resulting from reaction of the acetylene units, occurs in the r ange 380-434-degrees-C and the polymers undergo a cross-linking reacti on. Polymers cross-linked at 340-degrees-C exhibit Tg increases from 2 -degrees-C to complete disappearance of the Tg depending on the concen tration of the diphenylacetylene group which has been incorporated int o the polymer. In most cases films of the cross-linked polymers are st ill flexible and exhibit Young's moduli in the range 1.2-2.1 GPa at 20 0-degrees-C. The solubility or the amount of swelling of these cross-l inked polymers in solvents depends on the mol % of diphenylacetylene g roups incorporated in the polymer backbone. Copolymers have also been synthesized.