Photocurable polymers through the Diels-Alder trapping of photochemically generated enols

CHED 803

Rudy James Wojtecki, wojteckirj@hiram.edu, Department of Chemistry, Hiram College, PO Box 67, Hiram, OH 44135, Daniel S. Tyson, daniel.s.tyson@nasa.gov, Materials and Structures Division, Ohio Aerospace Institute and NASA Glenn Research Center, 21000 Brookpark Road, MS 49-1, Cleveland, OH 44135, Faysal Ilhan, ulvi.ilhan@abu.ac.ae, Department of Natural Sciences and Chemistry, Abu Dhabi University, P.O. Box 59911, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Daniel A. Scheiman, daniel.a.scheiman@nasa.gov, Materials and Structures Division, ASRC Aerospace and NASA Glenn Research Center, 21000 Brookpark Road, M.S. 49-1, Cleveland, OH 44135, and Michael A. Meador, Michael.A.Meador@nasa.gov, Materials and Structures Division, NASA Glenn Research Center, 21000 Brookpark Road, M.S. 49-3, Cleveland, OH 44135.
Photocured polymer films utilizing cycloaddition provide a fundamental alternative to the dominant thermal approach to Diels-Alder high-performance polymer synthesis. o-Methylbenzophenone readily undergoes photoenolization to produce an E isomer that can participate in ground state reactions. Chemical structures possessing two sites for the formation of photoenols allow for polymerization via trapping of the E isomer with the appropriate bisdienophile. A systematic approach to studying the polymer properties was attempted by modifying the flexible bis-o-methylbenzophenone and bismaleimide monomer linkages. In addition to flexible monomers, semi-rigid maleimides and their effects on the polymer properties were investigated. Monomer combinations were irradiated with broad band UV light. The generated polymers were characterized quantifying their thermal decomposition, glass transition temperatures, molecular weight, and noting their physical properties. The range of polymers generated shows the versatility of an alternative approach to generate high-performance polymers.
 

Undergraduate Research Poster Session: Polymer Chemistry
11:00 AM-1:00 PM, Monday, March 26, 2007 Hyatt Regency Chicago -- Riverside Center, Poster

Division of Chemical Education

The 233rd ACS National Meeting, Chicago, IL, March 25-29, 2007