Victrex polysulfone

PES is also known as Victrex Polysulfone, which is produced at this time by ICI, Ultrason by BASF and Astrel by 3M, etc.[l,2,6]. Unless otherwise noted, all data discussed here are based upon PES resin supplied... 

Union Carbide introduced the first commercial polyarylsulfone resin, Udel, in 1966 and later introduced Radel polyarylsulfone. The business and patents rights were acquired by Amoco Corp. in 1986. Other polysulfone products have been marketed by BASF and ICl (Victrex PES) the latter aimounced in 1991 it was withdrawing from the business. 

Amoco Performance Products (Atlanta, Ga.), is the sole supplier of polysulfone, Udel, polyarylsulfone, Radel A, and polyphenylsulfone, Radel R. ICI Advanced Materials (Exton, Pa.), is the sole domestic supplier of the polyethersulfone, Victrex PES, but announced ia 1991 it was withdrawing from the business. 

The first commercial polymer Table 21.3, II) was offered in 1965 by Union Carbide as Bakelite Polysulfone, now renamed Udel. In 1967 Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing introduced Astrel 360 Table 21.3, V), which they referred to as a polyarylsulfone. In 1972 ICI brought a third material onto the market which they called a polyethersulphone (III) and which they then marketed as Victrex. They also introduced a material intermediate between III and V known as Polyethersulphone 720P (IV) but which has now been withdrawn. In the late 1970s Union Carbide introduced Radel (VI), which has a higher level of toughness. Around 1986 Union Carbide sold their interest in polysulphones to Amoco. In addition the Astrel materials were produced by Carborundum under licence from ICI. 

Victrex (PES) and Radel (PAS) serve the same end uses and are, like Udel, transparent, slightly yellow polymers exhibiting heat deflection temperatures about 28°C higher than Udel PSO. Their main advantage in electrical and electronic end use is high heat resistance. They also have excellent water and chemical resistance like all polysulfones they are steam sterilizable. Electrical and electronic end uses represent the largest market segment. Applications include connectors, switches, bobbins, and sleeves. 

The two commercially significant polysulfones are (a) the polysulfone derived from bisphenol A, which is simply referred to as polysulfone (PSO Udel , Amoco) and (b) the polyethersulfone (PES Victrex , ICI). The current world-wide consumption of all polysulfones is estimated to be less than 19 kton/y about 70% of which belong to the polysulfone (PSO). The hydrolytic stability of polysulfones appears to be their unique advantage over other high heat, transparent thermoplastics... 

Commercial polysulfones (see Table 4.30) such as Udel (Union Carbide) and Victrex (ICI) are sulfonated in a post-functionalization step to make ionomers. When dissolved in dichloroethane and treated with a complex of sulfur trioxide and triethyl phosphate, Udel (XXIV) becomes monosulfonated on the rings marked R (as the rings connected to the sulfone group are deactivated by the sulfone group). 

The polysulfone Victrex represents amorphous thermoplastic con-stmctional polymer differing by high heat-resistance, dimensional stauneh-ness, low combustibility, chemical and radiation stabihty. It can easily be reprocessed on standard equipment at 340-380 °C and temperature of press-form 100-150 °C. It is dried at 150 °C for 1.08 x lO see before casting [167, 168]. 

Several types of polysulfone Victrex can be distinguished lOOP-powder for solutions and glues 200P-casting polymer 300P-with in-... 

The nucleophilic substitution reaction of an activated benzenoid halide with a phenoxide anion is currently the method used worldwide for the preparation of aromatic poly(aryl ether sulfones) " and poly(aryl ether ketones). " Amoco Performance Products UDEL Polysulfone and RADEL Polyphenylsulfone are made commercially via this route. The subject substitution reactions are also used by ICI to produce their Victrex Poly(ether sulfone) (PES) and Victrex Poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK). 

Rigby, R. B. (1979). Victrex-Polyestersulfone. Plast. Panorama Scand, 29(11), 10-12. Gonozy, A. A. (1979). Polysulfon-ein Hochwarmebeston Dider Transparenter Kunststoff Kunststoffe, Bild. 69,1, S. 12-17. 

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