SOLUBLE, HIGH MOLECULAR WEIGHT RIGID-ROD POLYMERS

MAXDEM PROPOSES TO PREPARE A NEW TYPE OF RIGID-ROD POLYMER DESIGNED TO BE SOLUBLE IN COMMON ORGANIC SOLVENTS. THE NEW POLYMER(S) ARE INTENDED TO BE HIGH PERFORMANCE MATERIALSWHICH ARE ESPECIALLY EASY TO PROCESS. VARIATION OF THE MICROSTRUCTURAL MORPHOLOGY OF THE POLYMERS WILL PERMIT OPTIMUM SOLUBILITY, PROCESSING AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES. POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS INCLUDE COMPONENTS FOR AIRCRAFT AND AEROSPACE NEEDS, ROBOTICS, AND AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATIONS. THESE NOVEL POLYMERS OFFER A UNIQUE ALTERNATIVE TO THE PREPARATION OF COMPOSITE MATERIALS, AND WILL OBVIATE THE NEED FOR CUMBERSOME FIBER LAY-UP FOLLOWED BY REPETITIVE RESIN IMPREGNATIONS TO OBTAIN THE DESIRED STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS. THUS, THEIR USE WILL FACILITATE MANUFACTURING, ALLOWING THE USE OF CONVENTIONAL INJECTION MOLDING OF EXTRUSION TECHNIQUES.