Ring polycarbonates

Graphite reacts with alkali metals, for example potassium, to form compounds which are non-stoichiometric but which all have limiting compositions (for example K C) in these, the alkaU metal atoms are intercalated between the layers of carbon atoms. In the preparation of fluorine by electrolysis of a molten fluoride with graphite electrodes the solid compound (CF) polycarbon fluoride is formed, with fluorine on each carbon atom, causing puckering of the rings. 

A decisive breakthrough to a T range above 230°C was achieved with a polycarbonate based on spitobisiudan (SBI-PC, (8)) (203) or 3,3,5-trimethyl cyclohexane (TMC-PC, (7) whereia the cyclohexane ring bears three methyl groups) (204). 

Polycarbonates have also been prepared from diphenyl compounds where the benzene rings are separated by more than one carbon atom. In the absence of bulky side groups such polymer molecules are more flexible and crystallise very rapidly. As is to be expected, the more the separating carbon atoms the lower the melting range. This effect is shown in data supplied by Sehnell" Table 20.11). 

Crystallisable polymers have also been prepared from diphenylol compounds containing sulphur or oxygen atoms or both between the aromatic rings. Of these the polycarbonates from di-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ether and from di-(4-hydroxy-phenyl)sulphide crystallise sufficiently to form opaque products. Both materials are insoluble in the usual solvents. The diphenyl sulphide polymer also has excellent resistance to hydrolysing agents and very low water absorption. Schnell" quotes a water absorption of only 0.09% for a sample at 90% relative humidity and 250°C. Both the sulphide and ether polymers have melting ranges of about 220-240°C. The di-(4-hydroxyphenyl)sulphoxide and the di-(4-hydroxy-phenyl)sulphone yield hydrolysable polymers but whereas the polymer from the former is soluble in common solvents the latter is insoluble. 

Friedrich et al. also used XPS to investigate the mechanisms responsible for adhesion between evaporated metal films and polymer substrates [28]. They suggested that the products formed at the metal/polymer interface were determined by redox reactions occurring between the metal and polymer. In particular, it was shown that carbonyl groups in polymers could react with chromium. Thus, a layer of chromium that was 0.4 nm in thickness decreased the carbonyl content on the surface of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) by about 8% but decreased the carbonyl content on the surface of polycarbonate (PC) by 77%. The C(ls) and 0(ls) spectra of PC before and after evaporation of chromium onto the surface are shown in Fig. 22. Before evaporation of chromium, the C(ls) spectra consisted of two components near 284.6 eV that were assigned to carbon atoms in the benzene rings and in the methyl groups. Two additional... 

Nearly all of the polymers produced by step-growth polymerization contain heteroatoms and/or aromatic rings in the backbone. One exception is polymers produced from acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) polymerization.22 Hydrocarbon polymers with carbon-carbon double bonds are readily produced using ADMET polymerization techniques. Polyesters, polycarbonates, polyamides, and polyurethanes can be produced from aliphatic monomers with appropriate functional groups (Fig. 1.1). In these aliphatic polymers, the concentration of the linking groups (ester, carbonate, amide, or urethane) in the backbone greatly influences the physical properties. 

Boronic acids (69 and 70) (Fig. 45) with more than one boronic acid functionality are known to form a polymer system on thermolysis through the elimination of water.93 Specifically, they form a boroxine (a boron ring system) glass that could lead to high char formation on burning. Tour and co-workers have reported the synthesis of several aromatic boronic acids and the preparation of their blends with acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) and polycarbonate (PC) resins. When the materials were tested for bum resistance using the UL-94 flame test, the bum times for the ABS samples were found to exceed 5 minutes, thereby showing unusual resistance to consumption by fire.94... 

Chains that include aromatic rings (phenols, pyridines, etc.) are said to be polycyclic and are stiffer, harder and more stable than aliphatic chains. Polycarbonate is an example, being hard enough for use in eyeglass lenses. An extreme example is Kevlar fiber. 

Bisphenols is a broad term that includes many chemicals with the common chemical structure of two phenolic rings joined together by a bridging carbon. Bisphenol A is a monomer widely used in the manufacture of epoxy and phenolic resins, polycarbonates, polyacrylates and corrosion-resistant unsaturated polyester-styrene resins. It can be found in a diverse range of products, including the interior coatings of food cans and filters, water containers, dental composites and sealants. [4]. BPA and BP-5 were selected for testing by the whole... 

Cyclic oligomers of condensation polymers such as polycarbonates and polyesters have been known for quite some time. Early work by Carothers in the 1930s showed that preparation of aliphatic cyclic oligomers was possible via distillative depolymerization [1, 2], However, little interest in the all-aliphatics was generated, due to the low glass transition temperatures of these materials. Other small-ring, all-aliphatic cyclic ester systems, such as caprolactone, lactide... 

Stoessel [87] has reported using ultrasound to promote the ring opening of polycarbonate rings (Fig. 5.44) whilst Price [88] has studied the ring opening polymerisation of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (Fig. 5.45). Price found that in the presence of ultrasound, and the presence of sulphuric acid at room temperature, faster polymerisation rates and higher molar masses were obtained. 

Phenol, C6H5OH, is a benzene ring with a hydroxyl group, -OH, in place of a hydrogen. That makes it a member of the alcohol family. Most phenol is made by the oxidation route. At room temperature phenol is a solid but is corrosive like an acid. It is used to make phenolic resins and to make Bisphenol A (feed for epoxy and polycarbonate resins) and caprolactam (feed for Nylon 6). 

There are numerous bifunctional monomers used in condensation polymerization. Some of the more popular signature groups that turn up frequently are shown in Figure 22-3. Important copolymers made by condensation include epoxies, nylon, polyesters, polycarbonate, and polyimides. As always, there are exceptions, and one is Nylon 6 made by a ring opening reaction of caprolactam. All of these will be covered in the next two chapters. 

The aromatic rings contribute to the polycarbonate s high glass transition temperature and stiffness (Table 4.4). The aliphatic groups temper this tendency giving polycarbonate a decent solubility. The two methyl groups also contribute to the stiffness because they take up... 

Extension of DKR to polymer chemistry would readily result in chiral polyesters, polycarbonates, or polyamides from an optically inactive monomer mixture. Scheme 10 describes three variants of chemoenzymatic catalysis applied in polymer chemistry that recently appeared in the literature. Route A uses AA and BB monomers to prepare chiral polymers from racemic/diasteromeric diols. Route B converts an enantiomer mixture of AB monomers to homochiral polymers. Route C is the enzymatic ring-opening polymerization of co-methylated lactones to homochiral polyesters. Details will be given in Sect. 3.4.2. 

Among the more common thermoplastics from ring opening polymerization of interest in composite processing are polylactams, polyethers, polyacetals, and polycycloolefins. It has also been shown that polycarbonates can be produced from cyclic carbonates [22], Anionic ring opening polymerization of caprolactam to nylon 6 is uniquely suited to form a thermoplastic matrix for fiber-reinforced composites, specifically by the reaction injection pultrusion process [23-25]. The fast reaction kinetics with no by-products and the crystalline... 

Polycarbonates, both aliphatic and aromatic, have been prepared by the ring opening polymerization of cyclic monomers or oligomers [22], Cyclic monomeric precursors are more common in aliphatic polycarbonates, but because of steric reasons aromatic polycarbonates can only be prepared from cyclic oligomers. Both cationic and anionic initiators have been examined and anionic initiators appear to be more efficient. 

Figure 1.8 Preparation of cyclic oligomers that yield polycarbonates by ring opening polymerization...

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