Preparation and characterization of polyimide‐g‐nylon 6 copolymers from nonfunctionalized polyimides

In this research, the anionic polymerization of ?‐caprolactam was carried out in the presence of small amounts of several different polyimides to generate polyimide‐g‐nylon 6 copolymers. The polyimides, which were prepared from 2,2′‐bis[4‐(3,4‐dicarboxyphenoxy)phenyl]propane dianhydride and commercially available diamines with a one‐step method, were first dissolved in molten ?‐caprolactam. Phenylmagnesium bromide was then added at 120°C. Under these conditions, caprolactam anions were formed that attacked the five‐membered imide rings to form N‐acyllactam moieties, which activated the anionic polymerization of caprolactam. In essence, nylon 6 chains grew from the polyimide backbones. Probably because of a high activation energy, the process was relatively slow, requiring 1 h at 120°C. The introduction of 5 wt % polyimide into the graft copolymers produced significant increases in the tensile modulus and tensile strength in comparison with those of low‐ and high‐molecular‐weight nylon 6. The elongation to break, however, was reduced. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 99: 292–299, 2006     

Preparation of polyimide/nylon 6 graft copolymers from polyimides containing ester moieties: Synthesis and characterization

Polyimide‐g‐nylon 6 copolymers were prepared by the polymerization of phenyl 3,5‐diaminobenzoate with several diamines and dianhydrides with a one‐step method. The polyimides containing pendant ester moieties were then used as activators for the anionic polymerization of molten ?‐caprolactam. In the graft copolymer syntheses, the phenyl ester groups reacted quickly with caprolactam anions at 120°C to generate N‐acyllactam moieties, which activated the anionic polymerization. The thermal stability and chemical resistance were dramatically increased by the incorporation of only 5 wt % polyimide in the graft copolymers. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 99: 309–318, 2006     

Polyamide‐6‐b‐polybutadiene block copolymers: Synthesis and properties

Polyamide‐6 (PA6)/polybutadiene (PB) block copolymers were synthesized with macroactivators (MAs) based on hydroxyl‐terminated polybutadiene functionalized with diisocyanates and having three N‐acyllactam chain‐growing centers per molecule. Two different diisocyanates, hexamethylene diisocyanate and isophorone diisocyanate, were applied as precursors for the MAs. The sodium salt of ε‐caprolactam was chosen as an initiator. The influence of the MA type and concentration on the anionic ring‐opening polymerization of ε‐caprolactam at 180°C was studied. A large percentage of the gel fraction in the copolymers was estimated, indicating crosslinked macromolecules. The structure and phase behavior of the copolymers were investigated with differential scanning calorimetry, wide‐angle X‐ray scattering, thermogravimetric analysis, and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis. In the copolymers, only the PA6 chains crystallized, and the crystallinity depended on the PB content. Different glass‐transition temperatures for the PB blocks and PA6 blocks were observed, indicating microphase separation in the copolymers. The mechanical properties of the copolymers were studied by notched impact testing and hardness measurements. The impact strength increased linearly with the soft component concentration up to 10 wt % and reached values six times higher than those of the PA6 homopolymer. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 89: 711–717, 2003     

Solvent induced phase separation in a nylon 6-b-polyimide-b-nylon 6 triblock copolymer

A series of new nylon 6-b-polyimide-b-nylon 6 (triblock) copolymers have been synthesized via condensation polymerization of the polyimide component and anionic polymerization of the nylon 6 component. The polyimide component is prepared from bisphenol-A dianhydride (BisA-DA) and bisaniline-P diamine (BisP) with end-capped functional groups. After the polyimides are dissolved in caprolactam, the nylon 6 anionic polymerization is initiated by the functional groups of the polyimides. The triblock copolymers can be dissolved in both m-cresol and 1,6-hexanediol. Of the two components present in the copolymers, nylon 6 crystallizes partially and BisA-DA/BisP is amorphous. Based on differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis, wide angle X-ray diffraction, small angle X-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy experiments, the copolymer films prepared from the 1,6-hexanediol solution are phase separated. The BisA-DA/Bis P and the nylon 6 components show little miscibility in the inter-lamellar amorphous region. However, in the films prepared from the m-cresol solution both components are largely miscible in the inter-lamellar amorphous region. This is due to the different solvation power of the two solvents with respect to the polyimide and nylon 6.     

Toughening and phase separation behavior of nylon 6–PEG block copolymers and in situ nylon 6–PEG blend via in situ anionic polymerization

We have prepared in situ molded products of morphologically different nylon 6/polyethylene glycol (PEG) copolymers and their blends via anionic polymerization of ε-caprolactam in the presence of several kinds of PEG derivatives using sodium caprolactamate as a catalyst and carbamoyl caprolactam derivative as an initiator. Three carbamoyl caprolactams, such as tolylene dicarbamoyl dicaprolactam (TDC), hexamethylene dicarbamoyl dicaprolactam (HDC), and cyclohexyl carbamoyl caprolactam (CCC), with different functionalities and activities were used. Phase separation behavior was investigated by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) and DSC during in situ polymerization and melt crystallization. The mechanical properties of these molded products were evaluated. PEG segments in the block copolymers showed amorphous characteristics, whereas a large fraction of unreacted PEG segments was crystallized in as-polymerized samples, except for the products obtained using the CCC activator. The presence of PEG derivatives retarded the crystallization of nylon 6 part during in situ polymerization as well as melt crystallization. However, PEG segments did not alter the crystalline structure of nylon 6, showing α-crystalline modification. The nylon 6–PEG–nylon 6 triblock copolymers showed the highest impact strength, whereas the nylon 6–PEG diblock copolymers and in situ nylon 6–PEG blends showed no improved toughness. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 73: 1285–1303, 1999     

A new macroinitiator for the synthesis of triblock copolymers PA12‐b‐PDMS‐b‐PA12

A new PDMS macroinitiator is proposed for the anionic ring‐opening polymerization of lactams. This α,ω‐dicarbamoyloxy caprolactam PDMS macroinitiator was readily obtained in quantitative yield, by an original synthesis scheme in two steps, which involved the scarcely reported reaction of isocyanates with silanol groups. It was then shown that this bifunctional macroinitiator enabled to synthesize triblock copolymers PA12‐b‐PDMS‐b‐PA12 by polymerization of lauryl lactam (LL) at high temperature (200°C) in inert atmosphere under conditions compatible with reactive extrusion processes. Another related high molar weight α,ω‐diacyllactam PDMS macroinitiator was also successfully used in the polymerization of LL under the same conditions, therefore overcoming the limitations formerly reported for this type of macroinitiators during the polymerization ε‐caprolactam (ε‐CL) at a much lower temperature (80°C). Triblock copolymers with a wide range of PA12 /molar weights (M_n: ～ 10,800–250,000 Da) were eventually obtained by using both types of macroinitiators. DMTA and DSC analyses showed that their thermal properties were strongly dependent upon their respective contents in soft and hard blocks. Such triblock copolymers already appear very promising for the highly effective in situ compatibilization of PA12/PDMS blends as shown by recent complementary results obtained in our laboratory. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl PolymSci 102: 2818–2831, 2006     

A novel approach to the preparation of thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer and polyamide 6 blends by in situ anionic ring‐opening polymerization of ε‐caprolactam

Blends of thermoplastic polyether‐based urethane elastomer (TPEU) and monomer casting polyamide 6 (MCPA6) were prepared using ε‐caprolactam as reactive solvent, with caprolactam sodium as a catalyst in the presence of TPEU, with TPEU content varying from 2.5% to 10% by weight. In situ anionic ring‐opening polymerization and in situ compatibilization to prepare TPEU/MCPA6 blends were carried out in one step. The TPEU chains, which underwent thermal dissociation in amine solvents to bear isocyanate groups, acted as macroactivator to initiate MCPA6 chain growth from the TPEU chains and form graft copolymers of TPEU‐co‐MCPA6 to improve compatibility between TPEU and MCPA6. The structure and thermal properties were characterized by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ¹H‐NMR spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and scanning electron microscopy. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry     

Polyamide 6/ethylene‐butylene elastomer blends generated via anionic polymerization of ε‐caprolactam: Phase morphology and dynamic mechanical behavior

This paper reports about the polymerization of ε‐caprolactam monomer in the presence of low molecular weight hydroxyl or isocyanate end‐capped ethylene‐butylene elastomer (EB) elastomers as a new concept for the development of a submicron phase morphology in polyamide 6 (PA6)/EB blends. The phase morphology, viscoelastic behavior, and impact strength of the polymerization‐designed blends are compared to those of similar blends prepared via melt‐extrusion of PA6 homopolymer and EB elastomer. Polyamide 6 and EB elastomer were compatibilized using a premade triblock copolymer PA6‐b‐EB‐b‐PA6 or a pure EB‐b‐PA6 diblock reactively generated during melt‐blending (extrusion‐prepared blends) or built‐up via anionic polymerization of ε‐caprolactam on initiating ? NCO groups attached to EB chain ends (polymerization‐prepared blends). Two compatibilization approaches were considered for the polymerization‐prepared blends: (i) the addition of a premade PA6‐b‐EB‐b‐PA6 triblock copolymer to the ε‐caprolactam monomer containing nonreactive EB? OH elastomer and (ii) generation in situ of a PA6‐b‐EB diblock using EB? NCO precursor on which polyamide 6 blocks are built‐up via anionic polymerization of ε‐caprolactam. The noncompatibilized blends exhibit a coarse phase morphology, either in the extruded or the polymerization prepared blends. Addition of premade triblock copolymer (PA6‐b‐EB‐b‐PA6) to a EB? OH /ε‐caprolactam dispersion led to a fine EB phase (0.14 μm) in the PA6 matrix after ε‐caprolactam polymerization. The average particle size of the in situ reactively compatibilized polymerization‐prepared blend is about 1 μm. The notched Izod impact strength of the blend compatibilized with premade triblock copolymer was much higher than that of the neat PA6, the noncompatibilized, and the in situ reactively compatibilized polymerization blends. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 94: 2538–2544, 2004     

Anionic polymerization and properties of graft copolymers consisting of alternating styrene/maleimide copolymer main chains and polyamide 6 grafts

This article is focused on the synthesis of a new type of graft PA6, which contained alternating styrene/maleimide copolymer main chains and PA6 grafts, by anionic polymerization. The preprepared styrene/maleimide copolymers with acylated caprolactam (ACL) pendants were used as macroactivators for the polymerization of molten ε‐caprolactam (CL). Because of the low activating energy for the initial nucleophilic attack of CL anion on the N‐ACL, the polymerization took place in a few minutes. The macroactivators were characterized by ¹H‐NMR. And the thermal properties, dimensional stability, crystallinity, and solvent resistance ability of the graft PA6 were studied, using DSC, TGA, XRD, water absorption measurement, and solubility experiment. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Monomer casting nylon‐6‐b‐polyether amine copolymers: Synthesis and antistatic property

MC nylon‐6‐b‐polyether amine(PEA)copolymers were synthesized with macroinitiator based on amino‐terminated PEA functionalized with isocyanate via in situ polymerization. It was found that introduction of PEA delayed the polymerization process of caprolactam, resulting in the decrease of molecular weight of the copolymer. With increasing content of PEA, the melting peak started declining and widening, while the crystallinity and crystal grain size decreased, indicating weakening of the crystallization ability of nylon‐6 matrix. The fracture surfaces of the copolymer changed from irregular mosaic to the striation, presenting tough fracture characteristic, and the notched impact strength of the copolymers were improved dramatically. The electrical resistivity of the copolymers was increased by three orders of magnitude, and kept stable with prolonging storage time, indicating a permanently antistatic ability. The improved antistatic mechanism was deduced by the increase of concentration of oxygen atom and C? O group on the surface of the copolymers with increasing PEA content. The water contact angle decreased and surface tension increased, and finally the hydrophilicity of the copolymers was enhanced, resulting in the fairly good antistatic behavior of the copolymers by absorbing moisture from air. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 56:817–828, 2016. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Isothermal crystallization kinetics of high‐flow nylon 6 by differential scanning calorimetry

The isothermal crystallization kinetics have been investigated with differential scanning calorimetry for high‐flow nylon 6, which was prepared with the mother salt of polyamidoamine dendrimers and p‐phthalic acid, an end‐capping agent, and ε‐caprolactam by in situ polymerization. The Avrami equation has been adopted to study the crystallization kinetics. In comparison with pure nylon 6, the high‐flow nylon 6 has a lower crystallization rate, which varies with the generation and content of polyamidoamine units in the nylon 6 matrix. The traditional analysis indicates that the values of the Avrami parameters calculated from the half‐time of crystallization might be more in agreement with the actual crystallization mechanism than the parameters determined from the Avrami plots. The Avrami exponents of the high‐flow nylon 6 range from 2.1 to 2.4, and this means that the crystallization of the high‐flow nylon 6 is a two‐dimensional growth process. The activation energies of the high‐flow nylon 6, which were determined by the Arrhenius method, range from ?293 to ?382 kJ/mol. The activation energies decrease with the increase in the generation of polyamidoamine units but increase with the increase in the content of polyamidoamine units in the nylon 6 matrix. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Follow‐up of the course of the anionic ring‐opening polymerization of lactams onto an isocyanate‐bearing polymer backbone in the melt

In this study, a batch mixer was used as a rheoreactor to carry out and follow up in real time the rate of the anionic polymerization of ε‐caprolactam onto a 3‐isopropenyl‐α,α‐dimethylbenzene isocyanate bearing polypropylene (PP‐g‐TMI) in the presence of sodium ε‐caprolactam as a catalyst. The isocyanate group in the PP‐g‐TMI was capable of activating the anionic polymerization, leading to the formation of a graft copolymer with polypropylene as the backbone and polyamide 6 as the grafts. The polymerization rate was related to the viscosity increase of the polymerization system. The latter then resulted in a concomitant torque increase. It was shown that torque was a rapid, convenient, and approximate measure of the polymerization rate. The use of the torque allowed for rapid and approximate evaluation of the effects of chemical and operating conditions on the polymerization rate without the need to determine the monomer conversions. Torque profiles were also a very useful piece of information for the design of a reactive extrusion process for the same type of polymerization system. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 102: 4394–4403, 2006     

Synthesis and characterization of Pst‐b‐PDMS‐b‐PSt copolymers by atom transfer radical polymerization

Polystyrene‐b‐poly(dimethylsiloxane)‐b‐polystyrene (Pst‐b‐PDMS‐b‐PSt) triblock copolymers were synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Commercially available difunctional PDMS containing vinylsilyl terminal species was reacted with hydrogen bromide, resulting in the PDMS macroinitiators for the ATRP of styrene (St). The latter procedure was carried out at 130°C in a phenyl ether solution with CuCl and 4, 4′‐di (5‐nonyl)‐2,2′‐bipyridine (dNbpy) as the catalyzing system. By using this technique, triblock copolymers consisting of a PDMS center block and polystyrene terminal blocks were synthesized. The polymerization was controllable; ATRP of St from those macroinitiators showed linear increases in M_n with conversion. The block copolymers were characterized with IR and ¹H‐NMR. The effects of molecular weight of macroinitiators, macroinitiator concentration, catalyst concentration, and temperature on the polymerization were also investigated. Thermodynamic data and activation parameters for the ATRP are reported. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 3764–3770, 2004     

Gas transport properties in (6FDA‐RTIL)‐(6FDA‐MDA) block copolyimides

This article reports synthesis and structure property studies of block copolyimides synthesized using diamino room temperature ionic liquids (RTIL) as diamine monomers. Specifically, polyimide oligomers of different lengths were synthesized using 2,2‐bis (3,4‐carboxylphenyl) hexafluoropropane dianhydride (6FDA) and diamino RTIL (1,3‐di(3‐aminopropyl) imidazolium bis[(trifluoromethyl) sulfonyl] imide). These oligomers were copolymerized with 6FDA and m‐phenylenediamine (MDA) using in situ polymerization to form (6FDA‐RTIL)‐(6FDA‐MDA) block copolyimides. The impact of the length and relative concentration of 6FDA‐RTIL oligomer in the copolymer on the resulting thermal, physical, and gas transport properties was monitored. As the concentration of the 6FDA‐RTIL segments increased, the backbone of the block copolyimides became more flexible resulting in a decrease in the glass transition temperature (T_g) and an increase in the density. The permeabilities of the RTIL containing copolyimides were consistently lower than those of the base polyimide, 6FDA‐MDA, with some increase in selectivities. Interestingly, the permeabilities of films produced with the low molecular weight oligomers were very different than those produced with same composition of the high molecular weight oligomers. This may be indicative of very different morphologies within these copolyimides. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43077.     

Tracer‐compatibilizer: Synthesis and applications in polymer blending processes

This article reports on a route to synthesizing fluorescent labeled graft copolymers, on the one hand; and on a concept of tracer‐compatibilizer for facile build‐up of emulsification curves of polymer blends, on the other hand. For these purposes, blends composed of polystyrene (PS) and polyamide 6 (PA6) are chosen. The synthesis of the corresponding tracer‐compatibilizer consists of three steps: (1) copolymerization of styrene with 3‐isopropenyl‐α,α'‐dimethybenzyl isocyanate (TMI); (2) conversion of a fraction of the isocyanate moieties of the resulting copolymer into anthracene ones upon reacting with 9‐(methylamino‐methyl)anthracene (MAMA); and (3) polymerization of ε‐caprolactam (CL) from the remaining isocyanate moieties. The resulting fluorescent labeled graft copolymer, denoted as PS‐g‐PA6‐Ant, is used to build up emulsification curves of PS/PA6 blends in a twin screw extruder (TSE), showing great usefulness of the concept of tracer‐compatibilizer. POLYM. ENG. SCI. 2012. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Polymorphic behavior of nylon 6/saponite and nylon 6/montmorillonite nanocomposites

X‐ray diffraction methods and DSC thermal analysis have been used to investigate the structural change of nylon 6/clay nanocomposites. Nylon 6/clay has prepared by the intercalation of ε‐caprolactam and then exfoliaton of the layered saponite or montmorillonite by subsequent polymerization. Both X‐ray diffraction data and DSC results indicate the presence of polymorphism in nylon 6 and in nylon 6/clay nanocomposites. This polymorphic behavior is dependent on the cooling rate of nylon 6/clay nanocomposites from melt and the content of saponite or montmorillonite in nylon 6/clay nanocomposites. The quenching from the melt induces the crystallization into the γ crystalline form. The addition of clay increases the crystallization rate of the α crystalline form at lower saponite content and promotes the heterophase nucleation of γ crystalline form at higher saponite or montmorillonite content. The effect of thermal treatment on the crystalline structure of nylon 6/clay nanocomposites in the range between Tg and Tm is also discussed.     

Synthesis and characterization of PBMA‐b‐PDMS‐b‐PBMA copolymers by atom transfer radical polymerization

Poly(butyl methylacrylate)–b–poly(dimethylsiloxane)–b–poly(butyl methylacrylate) (PBMA–b–PDMS–b–PBMA) triblock copolymers were synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The reaction of α,ω‐dichloride PDMS with 2′‐hydroxyethyl‐2‐bromo‐2‐methylpropanoate gave suitable macroinitiators for the ATRP of BMA. The latter procedure was carried out at 110°C in a phenyl ether solution with CuCl and 4,4′‐di (5‐nonyl)‐2,2′‐bipyridine (dNbpy) as the catalyzing system. The polymerization was controllable, with the increase of the monomer conversion, there was a nearly linear increase of molecular weight and a decrease of polydispersity in the process of the polymerization, and the rate of the polymerization was first‐order with respect to monomer conversion. The block copolymers were characterized with IR and ¹H‐NMR and differential scanning calorimetry. The effects of macroinitiator concentration, catalyst concentration, and temperature on the polymerization were also investigated. Thermodynamic data and activation parameters for the ATRP were reported. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 532–538, 2004     

Polyimide and nylon 6 blend film: Preparation,characterization and thermal behavior

A polyimide blend system has been prepared from a base polyimide of BTDAODA by adding ε‐caprolactam at the poly(amic acid) stage where ε‐caprolactam undergoes polymerization to form nylon 6 during the thermal cyclodehydration of poly(amic acid). The blend has been characterized by elemental analysis. IR, ¹³C CPMAS NMR, XRD and simple chemical methods. The thermal analysis study (TGA and DTA) shows that the stability of the blend systems is more in the lower temperature region (up to 300°C) in comparison to the control polyimide system. The isothermal study at 400°C in inert atmosphere shows that the blend system is equally stable but the isothermal study in air at 400°C shows that the thermooxidative stability of the blend films (except BB 4) is higher. Also, isothermal study in air at 500°C shows more than 90% weight loss for all the films within 3 h, but in an inert atmosphere, the blend films show lower weight loss compared to the control film. Although the XRD pattern of all the blend and control films shows an amorphous character, the films developed some crystallinity when treated with boiling NMP where the blend films developed higher crystallinity.     

Starlike Nylon 6/polyurethane block copolymers by reaction injection‐molding process (RIM)

Starlike block copolymers of Nylon‐6 and polyurethane were synthesized using ε‐caprolactam as a monomer, caprolactam magnesium bromide as a catalyst, and a star prepolymer of polyurethane. These copolymers were compared with the linear block copolymers of Nylon‐6 and polyurethane. Such copolymers were obtained using the reaction injection‐molding process (RIM) of ε‐caprolactam at different contents of polyurethane (5–30 wt %). In increasing the content of the soft phase, in FTIR, a displacement was observed in the band at 1637 cm^?1, assigned to the amide I of the Nylon 6, to a higher wavenumber. This suggests a bigger interaction between the urethane group of the polyurethane and the amide group of the Nylon 6. Star block copolymers showed better mechanical properties compared with the linear ones. This behavior is attributed to the higher crystallinity and ramifications present in the materials. The structure and the thermal properties of the copolymers were studied using different techniques such as DSC, WAXS, DMA, and SEM. A decrease in the crystallinity when increasing the soft phase was also observed. Finally, physical tensile, impact, and hardness tests of the copolymers were carried out. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 80: 2483–2494, 2001     

Organosoluble and light‐colored fluorinated polyimides based on 2,2‐bis[4‐(4‐amino‐2‐trifluoromethylphenoxy)phenyl]propane and aromatic dianhydrides

A novel fluorinated diamine monomer, 2,2‐bis[4‐(4‐amino‐2‐trifluoromethylphenoxy)phenyl]propane (2), was prepared through the nucleophilic substitution reaction of 2‐chloro‐5‐nitrobenzotrifluoride with 2,2‐bis(4‐hydroxyphenyl)propane in the presence of potassium carbonate, followed by catalytic reduction with hydrazine and Pd/C. Polyimides were synthesized from diamine 2 and various aromatic dianhydrides 3a–f via thermal imidization. These polymers had inherent viscosities ranging from 0.73 to 1.29 dL/g. Polyimides 5a–f were soluble in amide polar solvents and even in less polar solvents. These films had tensile strengths of 87–100 MPa, elongations to break of 8–29%, and initial moduli of 1.7–2.2 GPa. The glass transition temperatures (T_g) of 5a–f were in the range of 222–271°C, and the 10% weight loss temperatures (T₁₀) of them were all above 493°C. Compared with polyimides 6 series based on 2,2‐bis[4‐(4‐aminophenoxy)phenyl]propane (BAPP) and polyimides 7 based on 2,2‐Bis[4‐(4‐aminophenoxy)phenyl]hexafluoropropane (6FBAPP), the 5 series showed better solubility and lower color intensity, dielectric constant, and lower moisture absorption. Their films had cutoff wavelengths between 363 and 404 nm, b* values ranging from 8 to 62, dielectric constants of 2.68–3.16 (1 MHz), and moisture absorptions in the range of 0.04–0.35 wt %. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 95: 922–935, 2005