Structure and properties of poly- 2,6-dimethyl-p-phenylene oxide PPO

1 Structure and Properties of Poly-(2,6-dimethyl-p-phenylene oxide) (PPO) 

The rigid structure of the polymer molecule leads to a material with a high Tg of 208°C. There is also a secondary transition at -116°C and the small molecular motions that this facilitates at room temperature give the polymer in the mass a reasonable degree of toughness. 

When polymerised the polymer is crystalline but has a surprisingly low reported melting point (T ) of 257°C. The ratio T /T of 0.91 (in terms of K) is uniquely high. Because of the small difference in Tg and there is little time for crystallisation to occur on cooling from the melt and processed polymer is usually amorphous. However, if molecular movements are facilitated by raising the temperature or by the presence of solvents, crystallisation can occur. 

The solubility parameter is in the range 18.4-19 MPa and the polymer is predictably dissolved by halogenated and aromatic hydrocarbons of similar solubility parameter. Stress cracking can occur with some liquids. 

Being only lightly polar and well below the Tg at common ambient temperatures the polymer is an excellent electrical insulator even at high frequencies.  

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