PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF NITRATED POLY(ARYL ETHER KETONE)

The controlled nitration of poly( oxy-1,4-phenyleneoxy-1,4-phenylenecarbonyl-1,4-phenylene) (PEEK) is reported. Polymers with five different levels of nitration were prepared. IR spectroscopic studies and elemental analyses were performed to determine the substitution pattern; thermal analyses determined the dependence of the glass transition temperature measured by DSC, and the degradation behavior on the level of nitration was measured by TGA, combined with other analyses. All nitration products were amorphous, with T-g going up and thermal stability going down with increasing nitration. Room temperature solubility in 14 solvent, with a range of solubility parameter values, has been evaluated and reported for the nitrated PEEKs.