HIGH TEMPERATURE RIGID-ROD POLYMERS

WE PROPOSE TO PREPARE SEVERAL DERIVATIVES OF A NEW TYPE OF RIGID-ROD POLYMER DESIGNED TO BE SOLUBLE IN COMMON ORGANIC SOLVENTS. THE NEW POLYMERS ARE EXPECTED TO BE HIGH PERFORMANCE MATERIALS WHICH ARE ESPECIALLY EASY TO PROCESS. DURING PHASE I, NEW MONOMERS WILL BE PREPARED, AND PROPOSED POLYMERIZATION CONDITIONS WILL BE OPTIMIZED. THE NEWLY PREPARED POLYMERS WILL BE TESTED FOR THEIR THERMOOXIDATIVE STABILITY APPLICATIONS WILL INCLUDE USE IN HIGH PERFORMANCE MOLECULAR COMPOSITES, AS ENGINEERING PLASTICS, AS TOUGHENING ADDITIVES IN CONVENTIONAL PLASTICS, AND IN SPECIALTY FIBERS.