Thermosetting oligomers containing maleimides and nadimides end-groups

In the field of high thermomechanical performance polymers, linear and ther mosetting systems offer complementary properties. Among the thermosetting m aterials, BMIs and BNIs have been extensively studied and are now commercia lly available. In this chapter, firstly the main preparation and characteri zation methods are reviewed, and then the chemistry of the polymerization p rocesses is discussed for both families. For the BMIs, due to the electroph ilic character of their double bond, different polymerization pathways have been published, which is not the case for BNIs. Special attention has been paid to thermal polymerization which has already been used in industrial a chievements; however, on the other hand, the structure of these materials h as been considered for the purpose of establishing relationships between pr ocessability, stability and thermomechanical properties.