Phosphonyl/hydroxyl hydrogen bonding-induced miscibility of poly(arylene ether phosphine oxide/sulfone) statistical copolymers with poly(hydroxy ether) (phenoxy resin): Synthesis and characterization

High molecular weight bisphenol A or hydroquinone-based poly(arylene ether phosphine oxide/sulfone) homopolymer or statistical copolymers were synthes ized and characterized by thermal analysis, gel permeation chromatography, and intrinsic viscosity. Miscibility studies of blends of these copolymers with a (bisphenol A)-epichlorohydrin based poly(hydroxy ether), termed phen oxy resin, were conducted by infrared spectroscopy, dynamic mechanical anal ysis, and differential scanning calorimetry. All of the data are consistent with strong hydrogen bonding between the phosphonyl groups of the copolyme rs and the pendent hydroxyl groups of the phenoxy resin as the miscibility- inducing mechanism. Complete miscibility at all blend compositions was achi eved with as little as 20 mol % of phosphine oxide units in the bisphenol A poly(arylene ether phosphine oxide/sulfone) copolymer. Single glass transi tion temperatures (T-g) from about 100 to 200 degrees C were achieved. Repl acement of bisphenol A by hydroquinone in the copolymer synthesis did not s ignificantly affect blend miscibilities. Examination of the data within the framework of four existing blend T-g composition equations revealed T-g el evation attributable to phosphonyl/hydroxyl hydrogen bonding interactions. Because of the structural similarities of phenoxy, epoxy, and vinylester re sins, the new poly(arylene ether phosphine oxide/sulfone) copolymers should find many applications as impact-improving and interphase materials in the rmoplastics and thermoset composite blend compositions. (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.