Novel Bis(4-aminophenoxy) Benzene-Based Aramid Copolymers with Enhanced Solution Processability

Area of Science:

• Polymer Science
• Materials Science
• Organic Chemistry

Background:

• Aramid copolymers are traditionally used for high-strength, high-temperature fibers.
• There is a growing demand for processable aramid polymers in thin film form for applications like electrical insulation and membranes.
• Existing aramid materials often lack the processability required for thin film fabrication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize novel aramid copolymers with enhanced processability for thin film applications.
• To incorporate flexible moieties into the aramid backbone to facilitate polymerization in polar organic solvents.
• To characterize the thermal and mechanical properties of the resulting thin films.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of two novel aramid copolymers, MBAB-aramid and PBAB-aramid, by incorporating flexible bis(4-aminophenoxy) benzene moieties.
• Fabrication of ultra-thin films (3-10 μm) from the synthesized copolymers.
• Characterization using Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), and mechanical tensile analysis.

Main Results:

• MBAB-aramid and PBAB-aramid were synthesized with high degrees of polymerization and molecular weights exceeding 150 kDa.
• Ultra-thin, clear films with thicknesses of 3-10 μm were successfully fabricated.
• The films exhibited high glass transition temperatures (270.1 °C for MBAB-aramid, 292.7 °C for PBAB-aramid) and thermal decomposition temperatures (449.6 °C and 465.5 °C, respectively).
• Mechanical tensile analysis showed high tensile strengths (107.1 MPa for MBAB-aramid, 113.5 MPa for PBAB-aramid) with significant elongation at break.

Conclusions:

• The novel MBAB-aramid and PBAB-aramid copolymers enable the production of high-strength, ultra-thin films.
• The polymers possess excellent thermal stability and mechanical properties suitable for demanding applications.
• Differences in polymer structure linearity influence intermolecular interactions, affecting thermal and mechanical performance.
• These materials offer significant potential for applications in thin films, membranes, and functional coatings across various industries.