Synthesis,characterization, optical and electrical properties of thermally stable polyazomethines derived from 4,4′-oxydianiline

Three soluble, thermally stable azomethine polymers were synthesized by the oxidative polycondensation of azomethine bisphenols using NaOCl as an oxidant in aqueous alkaline medium. The azomethine bisphenol monomers, 4,4′-oxybis[N-(2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzilidine)aniline], 4,4′-oxybis[N-(2-hydroxy-5-bromobenzilidine)aniline] and 4,4′-oxybis[N-(2-hydroxynaphthalidine) aniline] were synthesized by the condensation of 4,4′-oxydianiline with three aromatic aldehydes. The structures of the monomers and polymers were confirmed by Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy, UV–visible, ¹H-NMR and ¹³C-NMR spectroscopic techniques. Morphology of the synthesized polymers was characterized using scanning electron microscope. The thermal stability of the polymers is evidenced by high carbines residue obtained in TGA. Fluorescence spectra showed that the emission maxima centred in the region 420–460 nm for all the compounds with large stokes shift values (?λ_ST). Electrical conductivity of iodine-doped polymers was measured by four-point probe technique. The synthesized polymers have shown good electrical conductivity on iodine doping, and it increases with the increase in iodine vapour contact time. The self-extinguishing property of the synthesized polymers was studied by the calculation of the limiting oxygen index values with van Krevelen’s equation.     

Polyaniline-Coated Short Nylon Fiber/Natural Rubber Conducting Composite

Natural rubber-Polyaniline (PANI)-Polyaniline coated short nylon-6 fiber (PANI-N6) composites were prepared by mechanical mixing and its cure characteristics, filler dispersion, mechanical properties, conductivity and thermal stability were evaluated. PANI was synthesized by chemical oxidative polymerization of aniline in presence of hydrochloric acid. PANI-N6 was prepared by in situ polymerization of aniline in the presence of short nylon-6 fiber. The composite showed higher tensile strength, tear strength and modulus values and lower elongation at break. The DC electrical conductivity and the thermal stability of the composites increased with PANI and PANI-N6 concentration. The highest conductivity obtained was 1.99 × 10^?6 S/cm.     

Renewable resource modified polyol derived aliphatic hyperbranched polyurethane as a biodegradable and UV‐resistant smart material

Renewable resource tailored tough, elastomeric, biodegradable, smart aliphatic hyperbranched polyurethanes were synthesized using castor oil modified polyol containing fatty amide triol, glycerol, diethanolamine and monoglyceride of sunflower oil via an A_x + B_y (x , y ≥ 2) approach. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the synthesis of solely aliphatic hyperbranched polyurethanes by employing renewable resources. The synthesized polyurethanes were characterized by Fourier transform infrared, NMR and XRD techniques. The hyperbranched polyurethanes exhibited good mechanical properties, especially elongation at break (668%), toughness (32.16 MJ m^?3) and impact resistance (19.02 kJ m^?1); also high thermal stability (above 300 °C) and good chemical resistance. Also, the hyperbranched polyurethanes were found to show adequate biodegradability and significant UV light resistance. Moreover, they demonstrated excellent multi‐stimuli‐driven shape recovery ability (up to 97%) under direct sunlight (10⁵ lux), thermal energy (50 °C) and microwave irradiation (450 W). The performance of the hyperbranched polyurethanes was compared with renewable resource based and synthetic linear polyurethane to judge the superiority of the hyperbranched architecture. Therefore, these new aliphatic macromolecules hold significant promise as smart materials for advanced applications. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry     

Synthesis of non-isocyanate polyurethanes with high-performance and self-healing properties

Due to the utilization of the potentially hazardous monomer, isocyanate compound, polyurethanes (PUs) with good properties are restricted in several fields, such as bio-engineering. Non-isocyanate polyurethanes (NIPUs) with high overall performance and self-healing properties were synthesized by dicarbamate, bio-based isosorbide (IS) and polycarbonate diols (PCDLs) through a solvent-free and ecologically friendly melt polycondensation route. Previously, few bio-based monomers have been introduced into polycondensation reactions of PUs. Chemical structures of NIPUs were analyzed by Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). With changing the IS content and the molecular weight of PCDL, the obtained NIPUs had linear structures and high molecular weights ranging from 3.3 × 10⁴ to 5.9 × 10⁴ g/mol. Results of tensile testing, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) suggested NIPUs had well thermal and mechanical properties, with T_d,5% above 286.2°C and tensile strength between 8.0 and 16.7 MPa due to the crystallization and the hydrogen bonding interactions. Furthermore, the NIPUs exhibited self-healing ability and recyclability, having great potential for industrialization.     

Synthesis and characterization of new thermosetting polybenzoxazines with other functional groups in the network

In this work, novel thermosetting systems of high performance based on multi-functional benzoxazines were developed. First, 3-(2-hydroxyethyl)-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,3-benzoxazine (BzOH) and bis(3-(2-hydroxyethyl)-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,3- benzoxazinyl) isopropane (BzPOH) monomers were synthesized by reaction between phenol or bisphenol A, paraformaldehyde, and ethanolamine. Then, BzOH and BzPOH were functionalized with maleic anhydride using a stoichiometric ratio of oxazine: maleic anhydride (1:1) to produce low molar mass species with carboxylic acid groups, named BzFA and BzPFA. The products were characterized by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), Size-Exclusion Chromatography (SEC), and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). BzFA and BzPFA exhibited weight-average molecular weights of 5000 g.mol^?1and 50,000 g.mol^?1, respectively. Mixtures between the new precursors and the conventional benzoxazine (BzBA) derived from bisphenol A and aniline [bis(3-phenyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,3benzoxazinyl) isopropane] were prepared. The curing process was studied by FTIR and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), and viscoelastic, mechanical, thermal, and morphological properties of the materials were also evaluated. Materials obtained exhibited better thermal, viscoelastic and mechanical properties than conventional polybenzoxazine. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) measurements indicated homogeneous material surfaces.     

Improvement of thermal stability of new heteroaromatic poly(azomethine urethane)s

New poly(azomethine urethane)s were synthesized in the conventional literature manner by reacting a new bisphenol‐containing azomethine group, N,N′‐bis(4‐hydroxyl‐3‐methoxy benzylidine)‐2,6‐diaminopyridine (I) with various diisocyanates, such as hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) (a), methylene‐4,4′‐diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) (b), and toluene‐2,4‐diisocyanate (TDI) (c). The resulting polymers I(a–c) were confirmed by ¹H‐NMR, FTIR, UV, and CHN analyses. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) revealed that the polymers have high thermal stability. A semicrystalline behavior was noticed for polymers by wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 100: 1198–1204, 2006     

Synthesis and cure of liquid crystalline diallyl modifiers for bismaleimide resin

Three kinds of liquid crystalline aromatic azomethine modifiers were synthesized with high yield, and the modification of bismaleimide resin (BMI) with them was studied by scanning electron microscope, polarizing optical microscope, thermogravimetric analyzer, differential scanning calorimetry, and rheolometry. Blends cured at the temperature of liquid crystalline phase were found to have oriented liquid crystal‐rich phase and improved mechanical properties. The addition of o,o′‐diallyl bisphenol A in the blends of BMI decreases thermal properties but shows little effect on phase structures. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 101: 4366–4371, 2006     

Mechanically strong shape memory polyurethane for water vapour permeable membranes

Water vapour permeable polymeric thin films possess significant importance in miscellaneous applications such as packaging, medical devices, controlled‐release systems, electronics and biosensors. In this work, a series of shape memory polyurethanes (SMPUs) were synthesized by a two‐step pre‐polymerization technique with variations in hard to soft segments and molecular weight of macroglycol. DSC, Fourier transform infrared spectra, dynamic TGA and tensile testing were carried out to characterize and evaluate the properties of these synthesized SMPUs. The effect of the soft segment and the molecular weight of macroglycol on the thermal properties, mechanical properties and water vapour permeability of the synthesized SMPUs were investigated to achieve a good water vapour permeable membrane. We found that the synthesized SMPUs demonstrated a good water vapour transmission rate of over 1460 g m^?2 day^–1 as well as robust mechanical properties with tensile strength 19.8 MPa indicating a promising permeable polymeric thin film for many potential applications, especially as protective clothing. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry     

New class of liquid crystalline epoxy resins: Synthesis and properties

A new class of liquid crystalline epoxy resins has been developed by reacting the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) with two new mesogenic diols, 3,3′-dimethoxy-4,4′-di(hydroxyhexoxy)-N-benzylidene-o-tolidine and 4,4′-di(6-hydroxyhexoxy)-N-benzylidene-o-tolidine, containing azomethine groups. Fourier transformed infra-red (FT-IR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and CHN elemental analysis were used to confirm the chemical structures of these azomethine mesogenic diols. Cure reaction between DGEBA and the mesogenic diols were carried out with different ratios 1:1, 1:2 and 2:1. The mesogenic phase transitions for azomethine mesogenic diols and cured polymers were examined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarized optical microscopy (POM). Thermal, mechanical and adhesion properties were then investigated for the cured polymers based on new azomethine mesogenic diols. The cured polymers were found to exhibit high thermal stability, flexibility and good adhesion properties compared to conventional resins.     

Physical properties of crosslinked polyurethane

Polyester based polyurethanes were synthesized from low molecular weight polyester (M_n 2000) and 4,4′-methylene bis(phenyl isocyanate) (MDI) with butanediol as a chain extender and glycerol as a crosslinker. The polyester was synthesized from adipic acid and glycol which was a mixture of 1,6-hexanediol and 1,2-propanediol. The effect of the crosslinker content on the degree of H-bond formation in the hard segments and the physical properties of polyurethanes were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermal mechanical analysis (TMA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and mechanical testing. The experimental results revealed that incorporation of a triol crosslinker into the hard segments of polyurethane results in a decrease of hard segment H-bond formation. The mechanical data indicate that the mechanical properties of polyurethanes depend on the concentrations of physical and chemical crosslinks and that there is an optimum concentration of triol crosslinker for the tensile stress and elongation properties. © 1998 Society of Chemical Industry     

Engineering plastics from lignin. VII. Structure property relationships of poly(butadiene glycol)-containing polyurethane networks

Hydroxypropyl lignin-based thermosetting polyurethanes containing polybutadiene (PBD) glycol soft segments (M_n of 2800 g M^?1) were synthesized with excess hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) and tolylene diisocyanate (TDI) by solution casting. Miscibility of the glycol with the lignin derivative was found to be poor as expected, and phase separation between the two polyol components in polyurethanes was detected by thermal and mechanical analysis, and by electron microscopy. This study examines the effect of concentration of polybutadiene glycol on the thermal and mechanical properties of the polyurethanes. The two-phase network system displayed significantly different properties than either the poly(ethylene glycol)-containing polyurethanes or their soft segment-free counterparts described previously. Macrophase separation was observed at nearly all degrees of mixing and was found to affect thermal and mechanical properties. The glass transition temperature (T_g) of the lignin phase in the TDI-based networks increased with poly(butadiene glycol) content rising from 3.6 to 71.4% of polyurethane, and this was attributed to the employment of a constant diisocyanate weight fraction which gave rise to a variable NCO/OH ratio and crosslink density. Distinct phase separation was evidenced by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) at above 3.6 and 7.1% glycol content for HDI- and TDI-based films, respectively. The polyurethane films behaved like rubber-toughened lignin networks when PBD was the discrete phase, and like lignin-reinforced rubber when the lignin derivative was discrete. This behavior was evidenced by the Young's modulus decreasing from 2000 to 50 MPa and ultimate strain rising from 6 to greater than 150%, with soft segment content increasing from 0 to 71.4%.     

Structure and properties of ultra‐high molecular weight bisphenol a polycarbonate synthesized by solid‐state polymerization in amorphous microlayers

The structure and properties of ultrahigh molecular weight polycarbonate synthesized by solid‐state polymerization in micro‐layers (SSP_m) are reported. A low molecular weight prepolymer derived from the melt transesterification of bisphenol A and diphenyl carbonate as a starting material was polymerized to highly amorphous and transparent polycarbonate of molecular weight larger than 300,000 g mol^?1 in the micro‐layers of thickness from 50 nm to 20 µm. It was observed that when the polymerization time in micro‐layers was extended beyond conventional reaction time, insoluble polymer fraction increased up to 95%. Through the analysis of both soluble and insoluble polymer fractions of the high molecular weight polycarbonate by ¹H NMR spectroscopy and pyrolysis‐gas chromatography mass spectrometry (Py‐GC/MS), branches and partially crosslinked structures have been identified. The thermal, mechanical and rheological properties of the ultra‐high molecular weight nonlinear polycarbonates synthesized in this study have been measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and rheometry. The nonlinear chain structures of the polymer have been found to affect the polymer's thermal stability, mechanical strength, shear thinning effect, and elastic properties. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41609.     

Synthesis and characterization of novel epoxy-modified waterborne polyurethanes and their use in carbon fiber sizing

Novel epoxy-modified waterborne polyurethanes (EPUs) were synthesized from toluene 2,4-diisocyanate, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), dimethylolbutyric acid, and 2,3-epoxy-1-propanol (glycidol). The chemical structures of the EPU products were characterized by ¹H-NMR and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The thermal properties of the EPUs were examined by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). TGA showed that the EPUs had good thermal stability, with an initial decomposition temperature higher than 250°C. DSC analysis showed that the glass-transition temperature of EPU1 was higher than that of EPU2. When the EPUs were heated above 150°C, the curing reaction took place. In this study, the EPUs were used for carbon fiber sizing. The mechanical interfacial strength between the fibers and the matrix was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) testing. The SEM images of the fracture sections of the composites proved that the interfacial adhesion between the fibers and the matrix improved after the EPU sizing treatment. The composites exhibited the highest value of ILSS after the EPU1 sizing treatment. The excellent properties of the EPUs confer it with potential applications in carbon fiber sizing. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Fracture and adhesion behaviors of epoxy resins modified with poly(amine‐quinone)

An amine‐quinone monomer, i.e. 2,5‐bis(4,4′‐methylenedianiline)‐1,4‐benzoquinone (BB), was synthesized by the Michael addition of 4,4′‐diaminodiphenyl methane with 1,4‐benzoquinone. To evaluate the effect of BB content on the glass transition temperature (T_g) and crosslinking density (ρ) of cured diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA)/BB systems, storage modulus and loss factor measurements were obtained using dynamic mechanical analysis. The mechanical properties of the systems were determined in terms of the fracture toughness, impact strength, and adhesion strength. As a result, the ρ values of the systems were found to decrease systematically as the BB content increased. The fracture toughness and adhesion strength of the systems increased with increasing BB content. These results indicate that the addition of BB into epoxy resins increases the free volume of the epoxy network and absorbs the deformation energy, resulting in an improvement of the mechanical properties of the DGEBA/BB systems. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry     

Blends of poly(2,5-dimethoxy aniline) and fluoropolymers as protective coatings

This work presents the study of blends formed by a substituted polyaniline (PAni), poly(2,5-dimethoxy aniline) (PDMA), and the fluoropolymers poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-vinylidene fluoride-co-propylene) (co-PTFE). PDMA was electrochemically synthesized from monomer 2,5-dimethoxy aniline (DMA) onto stainless steel surfaces. The polymers and the ternary blends were dissolved in N,N-dimethyl formamide and were deposited onto polished stainless steel plates. Thermal analysis (differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TG)) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used in order to evaluate the properties of the materials. Ternary blends with good adhesion properties and thermal stability (with degradation over 400 °C) were obtained. Porous morphology with indication of PVDF enrichment on surface was observed. Preliminary open circuit potential (OCP) test showed an increase in this potential in the blends, compared with uncoated stainless steel. Therefore, blends with phase separation and very promising new protective properties were produced. Co-PTFE guarantees good adhesion, PDMA the special corrosion protection, and both fluoropolymers contribute to the large thermal stability.     

Preparation and Properties of Hyperbranched Polyurethanes via Oligomeric A<Subscript>2</Subscript>+bB<Subscript>2</Subscript> Approach

Hyperbranched polyurethanes (HPUs) were synthesized from isocyanate end-capped poly(1,4-butylene adipate glycol) and diethanolamine via oligomeric A₂ + bB₂ approach. The structures of the resulting polymers were characterized by FT-IR, ¹³C NMR. The degree of branching (DB) was calculated according to the ¹³C NMR spectra. The properties of HPUs were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), adhesion strength tests. It was found that the thermal stability of the HPU decreased with the increase of hard segment content. The HPU could be used as hot melt adhesive, and the maximum lap shear strength was up to 6.84 MPa.     

Synthesis and characterisation of polyurethanes derived from waste black liquor lignin

Waste black liquor lignin, obtained from bagasse from the small-scale paper industry, can be utilized for the synthesis of polyurethanes (PUs). Several polyurethane samples were prepared from laboratory black liquor (LBL) by reacting varying amounts of lignin ranging from 5 to 70% (w/v) in poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) (having molecular weights of 200, 600, 1000, 1500 and 4000) with tolylene 2,4-diisocyanate (TDI). The effects of lignin concentration and molecular weight of PEG on mechanical and thermal properties of PUs obtained were investigated. The polyurethanes synthesised were characterized for different properties such as shear strength, adhesion and thermal stability. The shear strength of PU joints with aluminum was found to decrease with increase in both lignin concentration and molecular weight of PEG. Maximum shear strength, i.e. 3.6 N/mm², was shown by 50% (w/v) lignin in PEG of molecular weight 200.     

Processing and properties of new heteroaromatic Schiff-base poly(sulfone-ester)s and their blends

A new interesting class of linear Schiff-base poly(sulfone-ester)s has been synthesized by polycondensation of (E)-1-(4,4′-(4-hydroxy-3-chlorobenzylidene)thiocarbamoylaminophenyl-sulfonylphenyl)-3-(4-hydroxy-3-chlorobenzylidene)thiourea with 2,6-pyridinedicarbonyl chloride/thiophene-2,5-dicarbonyl dichloride. The enhancement of physical properties (thermal stability, glass transition temperature, mechanical strength, molar mass, electrical conductivity, etc.) of polymeric materials while maintaining their processability was the foremost aspiration of this research work. The pyridine or thiophene-based heteroaromatic poly(sulfone-ester)s (PSEs) showed ample solubility in amide solvents and good yield. PSEs possessed high inherent viscosity of 1.79–1.93 dL/g and molar mass 125 × 10³–145 × 10³ g mol^?1. The polymers were thermally stable with 10 % weight loss in the range 538–547 °C and glass transition temperature between 293 and 296 °C. Further aim was to obtain novel miscible nano-blends exhibiting good electrical conductivity and heat stability. For this purpose, PAN doped with dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid (PAN/DBSA) was prepared by in situ doping polymerization, and then blended in solution/melt with PSEs. The resulting high performance materials potentially combined the fine thermal properties and processability of poly(sulfone-ester)s with electrical characteristics of polyaniline. FESEM of melt-blended PSEs/PAN/DBSA showed nano-level homogeneity of the microstructure liable for better electrical conductivity (2.7–3.2 S cm^?1). The azomethine and pyridine moieties introduced in the backbone render these polymers thermally and mechanically stable as well as electrically conducting. The miscible blends, exhibited good heat stability (T ₁₀ 520–527 °C, T _g 281–285 °C) and mechanical strength (55.20–57.18 MPa) compared with reported azomethine/polyaniline-based structures. New processable and high-performance engineering plastics, attractive for aerospace applications, can be fabricated using novel blends.     

Synthesis and characterization of acetylene‐terminated polybenzoxazines based on polyaralkyl‐phenolic prepolymer

Xylok polybenzoxazine with acetylene group terminals (XPBZAs) were synthesized by the Mannich‐like condensation of Xylok prepolymer, formaldehyde, aminophenylacetylene, and aniline, and their structures were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR). The curing behavior of XPBZAs was determined by differential scanning calorimetry and FTIR. Thermal behavior and dynamic mechanical properties of the cured XPBZAs were investigated using thermogravimetric analysis and dynamic mechanical analysis. The results showed glass transition temperature (T_g), the thermal stability, and anaerobic char residue of cured XPBZAs increased as the content of acetylene groups increased. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 50:1751–1757, 2010. © 2010 Society of Plastics Engineers     

A simple one‐step synthesis and polymerization of plant oil triglyceride iodo isocyanates

In this study, a novel and simple route for the synthesis of the iodine isocyanate (INCO) adduct of soybean oil triglycerides is described. Soybean oil iodo isocyanate (ISONCO) was synthesized by the reaction of iodine isocyanate and soybean oil at room temperature. ISONCO was then polymerized with polyols, such as, castor oil, pentamethylene glycol, and glycerol to give the corresponding polyurethanes and with polyamines, such as, ethylene diamine, hexamethylene diamine, and triethylene tetramine to give corresponding polyureas. The structures of the monomer and the polymers were determined by FTIR and ¹H‐NMR analyses. Thermal properties of the polymers were determined by DSC and TGA. Thermal degradation of the polyurethanes started at 150°C. Stability of the polyureas was higher than polyurethanes. Almost all polymers showed a T_g around ?50°C. The mechanical properties of the polymers were determined by tensile tests. Among the polymers synthesized, castor oil polyurethane showed the highest elongation at break and the lowest tensile strength of 140 KPa. The highest tensile strength of 900 KPa was observed in the pentamethylene glycol polyurethanes. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010