Solid-state polycondensation prepolymers

For the solubility of TPA in prepolymer, no data are available and the polymer-solvent interaction parameter X of the Flory-Huggins relationship is not accurately known. No experimental data are available for the vapour pressures of dimer or trimer. The published values for the diffusion coefficient of EG in solid and molten PET vary by orders of magnitude. For the diffusion of water, acetaldehyde and DEG in polymer, no reliable data are available. It is not even agreed upon if the mutual diffusion coefficients depend on the polymer molecular weight or on the melt viscosity, and if they are linear or exponential functions of temperature. Molecular modelling, accompanied by the rapid growth of computer performance, will hopefully help to solve this problem in the near future. The mass-transfer mechanisms for by-products in solid PET are not established, and the dependency of the solid-state polycondensation rate on crystallinity is still a matter of assumptions. 

Figure 5.21 Solid-state polycondensation using different prepolymers, shown as the initial intrinsic viscosity as a function of time (at 235 °C and 0.1 mbar) [30a]. From Buxbaum, L. H., J. Appl. Polym. Sci., Appl. Polym. Symp., 35, 59 (1979), Copyright John Wiley Sons, Inc., 1979. Reprinted by permission of John Wiley Sons, Inc.

Polymer Chemical compound consisting of monomers or prepolymers developed by polyaddition, polycondensation or polymerization, usually in solid state. In cured condition, adhesives generally consist of polymers. 

The polyether-ester polyamic acid imidization process in a solid state under microwave irradiation was studied by Yu et al. [73]. The prepolymer, polyether-ester polyamic acid, was prepared by the polycondensation of poly(tetramethylene ether)glycol di-p-aminobenzoate (Polyamine-650, Polaroid, Co.) and pyromellitic acid dianhydride (PMDA) at room temperature in DMF solution. Later, the prepolymer solution was cast on polytetrafiuoroethylene plates to form 200 pm thin films that were imidized under microwave irradiation in a household microwave oven at 60 °C. The temperature was measured by means of a thermocouple applied to the film surface immediately after the intervals of microwave turn off It was found that microwave irradiation reduced both the reaction temperature and time. For example, during the solid phase thermal polymerization 68.3% polyamic acid was converted to polyimide at 155 °C, while under microwave irradiation 65 % of polyamic acid was reacted at 60 °C within 3 h [73]. 

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