SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF NEW AROMATIC SULFONE ETHER POLYAMIDES CONTAINING PENDANT PENTADECYL GROUPS

A series of new polyamides and copolyamides containing aromatic sulfone ether linkages was synthesized from 4,4'-[sulfonyl-bis(4,1-phenyleneoxy-3-pentadecyl)]bisphenylamine (SPPBA) and isophthaloyl chloride (IPC), terephthaloyl chloride (TPC), bis(4-chlorocarbonylphenyl)dimethylsilane (DMSC) and bis(4-chlorocarbonylphenyl)diphenylsilane (DPSC) by a low-temperature interfacial polymerization technique. SPPBA was prepared from 4,4'-dichlorodiphenyl sulfone and 4-amino-3-pentadecyl phenol derived from cashew-nut shell liquid and was characterized by spectral methods and elemental analysis, whereas the polyamides were characterized by solution viscosity, IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction and solubility. These polyamides showed enhanced solubility in organic solvents and no weight loss below 405-degrees-C in nitrogen. The effect of pendant pentadecyl substituents and silicon in the main chain of polyamides on the properties of these polymers was studied by comparing their properties with those of unsubstituted polyamides prepared from 4,4'-[sulfonyl-bis(4,1-phenyleneoxy)]bisphenylamine.