Reversible derivatization of poly (aryl ether ketones)

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9828478-B2
Application number	US-201514878563-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 8, 2015
Priority date	May 22, 2007
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

A method of forming a polymer matrix composite using a soluble derivative of a poly (aryl ether ketone) (PAEK). The method includes mixing a starting PAEK polymer with a solvent and an acid, said solvent being selected from a group consisting of diethylether, tetrahydrofuran (THF), dioxin, and chlorinated solvents; reacting the PAEK mixture with a Lewis acid and a thiol compound in amounts effective to form a poly (aryl ether thioacetal) compound which comprises at least one thioacetal group; and impregnating a plurality of fibers in a solution comprising said poly (aryl ether thioacetal) compound.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of forming a polymer matrix composite, comprising:
mixing a starting poly (aryl ether ketone) (PAEK) polymer with a solvent and an acid, said solvent being selected from a group consisting of diethylether, tetrahydrofuran (THF), dioxin, and chlorinated solvents;
reacting the PAEK mixture with a Lewis acid and a thiol compound in amounts effective to form a poly (aryl ether thioacetal) compound which comprises at least one thioacetal group;
impregnating a plurality of fibers in the form of unidirectional fibers or woven fibers with a solution comprising said poly (aryl ether thioacetal) compound, and
consolidating the impregnated fibers by applying heat and pressure,
wherein the Lewis acid is boron trifluoride diethyl etherize (BF 3 Et 2 O), the thiol compound is 1,2 ethanedithiol or 1,3-propanedithiol, and the starting PAEK is selected from: poly (ether ketone) (“PEK”), poly (ether ether ketone) (“PEEK”), poly (ether ketone ketone) (“PEKK”), and poly (ether ketone ether ketone ketone) (“PEKEKK”).

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the chlorinated solvent is selected from at least one of dichloromethane (DCM), trichloromethane (chloroform), dichloroethane, and dichlorobenzene.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the acid being mixed with the starting PAEK is a non-sulfonating acid.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the acid being mixed with the starting PAEK is trifluoroacetic acid.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein impregnating fibers comprises one of solution dipping and solution spray.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the starting PAEK is PEEK and the poly (aryl ether thioacetal) compound comprises the following recurring unit (a) or (b):

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the starting PAEK is PEK and the poly (aryl ether thioacetal) compound comprises the following recurring unit (c) or (d):

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the starting PAEK is PEKK, the thiol compound is 1,2-ethanedithiol, and the poly (aryl ether thioacetal) compound comprises the following recurring units (e) and (f):

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the starting PAEK is PEKK, the thiol compound is 1,3-propanedithiol, and the poly (aryl ether thioacetal) compound comprises the following recurring units (g) and (h):

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the starting PAEK is PEKEKK, the thiol compound is 1,2-ethanedithiol, and the poly (aryl ether thioacetal) compound comprises the following recurring unit (i):

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the starting PAEK is PEKEKK, the thiol compound is 1,3-propanedithiol, and the poly (aryl ether thioacetal) compound comprises the following recurring unit (j):

Assignees

• Cytec Tech Corp

Inventors

• Colquhoun Howard Matthew
• Mcgrail Patrick Terence
• Paoloni Francois Pierre Vincent
• Hodge Philip
• Manolakis Ioannis
• Cross Paul Mark

Classifications

• C08L81/06

  Polysulfones; Polyethersulfones · CPC title

• C08J2381/02

  Polythioethers; Polythioether-ethers · CPC title

• C08G65/48 Primary

  Polymers modified by chemical after-treatment · CPC title

• C08J5/24 Primary

  Impregnating materials with prepolymers which can be polymerised in situ, e.g. manufacture of prepregs · CPC title

• C08L71/10

  from phenols · CPC title