Polybenzimidazole commercial products

Poly-2-2 -(w-phenylene)-5,5 -bibenzimidazole, commonly called polybenzimidazole (PBI), was developed under the aegis of the U.S. Air Force Materials Laboratory in cooperation with the then-existing Celanese Corporation. The fiber went into commercial production in the United States in 1983. It is a condensation polymer obtained from the reaction of tetra-aminobiphenyl and diphenylisophthalate in a nitrogen atmosphere at temperatures that may reach 400°C in the final stages.29 The structure of a repeating unit is shown below. 

The use of adhesives can be traced back many centuries, while the production of adhesives, on an industrial scale, started about 300 years ago. The birth of modern structural adhesives can be dated from about 1910, with the introduction of the phenol-formaldehyde resins.Table II summarizes the historical development of structural adhesives, with the dates referring to the approximate time period during which each adhesive became commercially available. The introduction dates for the high-temperature polymers (polyimide, polybenzimidazole, and polyquinoxa-line) have been included for reference, although, as previously mentioned, there are presently few commercial products based on these polymers. 

Virtually all imaginable polymers that can be prepared through the polyhetero-cyclisation concept have been reported in the literature. After four decades of intensive research and development, only polyimides are in full commercial production. As previously outlined, polybenzimidazoles are supplied exclusively in the form... 

More recently, we have seen other new plastics arrive, including such exotic, high performance materials as the polybenzimidazoles, polyoxadiazoles, polyperfluorotriazines, polyphenylenes, and such inorganic materials as the boron polymers, the metalloxanes, and the polysilazanes, to name only a few. These exotic materials are mostly development products today, they are very expensive and will undoubtedly find their first uses, if any, in the aerospace industry which requires the high performance offered by these materials and can afford to pay for them. Some of these new materials will become commercial successes, others will not. 

POLYBENZIMIDAZOLES. These are heterocyclic polymers that have outstanding high thermal characteristics, the highest obtainable in commercial polymers. These materials also have superior ablative and hydrolytic stability as well as high compressive and dimensional stability. Polybenzimidazoles essentially arc unaffected by solvents, acids, and bases. They are marketed in stock shapes and as finished parts. The materials are not available in resin form Hoechst Celanese markets tile products under tile tradename Celazole, ... 

Abstract This chapter discusses polybenzimidazole (PBI), PBI blends, and some of their high temperature applications. The chapter first reviews the PBI polymer, including its history, structure, properties, synthesis, advantages and limitations. It then focuses on various PBI blends and their properties. The chapter also summarizes current commercial PBI and PBI blend products and provides examples of PBI and PBI blends in high temperature apphcations. 

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