Thermosetting Polyarylene Matrix Resins

Current and future aerospace systems require new cost-effective, high-temperature composite matrix resins without chemical functional groups that are susceptible to hydrolysis (e.g., imides). Maxdem has developed novel rigid-rod polyparaphenylenes, designated Poly-X(TM) resins, with unique combinations of processability, mechanical strength and stiffness, hardness, toughness, moisture and chemical resistance, thermal stability, and competitive cost. High compressive strength thermoplastic composites have been fabricated with Poly-X(TM) matrix resins, but softening temperatures are too low for many aerospace applications. However, preliminary results suggest that related thermoset polyarylene formulations can be made that show little or no moisture uptake, contain no hydrolyzable chemical moieties, and have high softening temperatures after cure. During the proposed Phase I effort, initial thermosetting polyarylene compositions will be prepared and demonstrated to be useful as matrix resins for high-temperature structural composites. Key Phase I objectives include verification of the high-temperature utility, hygrothermal stability, and practical processability and curing chemistry of the proposed polyarylene formulations. If successful, the results will support additional resin optimization studies and fabrication of the most promising candidate resins into prepregs and composite test coupons for more detailed mechanical and thermal evaluation during Phase II efforts.