α-Methoxy Benzaldehyde Based Photopolymers as a Promising Toolbox for Architected Carbon

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Organic Chemistry

Background:

• Photopolymers offer tunable properties for advanced material applications.
• Diels-Alder reactions provide efficient polymerization pathways.
• Additive manufacturing requires precursors with specific thermal and mechanical properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the pyrolysis of novel photopolymers for carbonized microsphere production.
• To elucidate the chemical decomposition pathways during thermal treatment.
• To evaluate the suitability of these photopolymers as precursors for additively manufactured carbon.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of photopolymers using α-methoxy benzaldehyde and bismaleimide precursors.
• Photo-induced Diels-Alder step-growth polymerization.
• Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to determine char yield.
• Infrared (IR) spectroscopy to analyze decomposition products.

Main Results:

• Achieved high char yields close to 60% from the photopolymers.
• Observed low shrinkage of approximately 33% during carbonization.
• Identified specific chemical decomposition pathways contributing to high char formation.

Conclusions:

• Diels-Alder-type photopolymers are excellent precursors for stable carbonized microspheres.
• The high char yield and low shrinkage are advantageous for additive manufacturing.
• These findings position the photopolymers as promising materials for next-generation AMcarbon applications.