Ordered Polymers for Space Applications.
Abstract
SRI has developed a novel poly(phosphoric acid) (PPA) polymerization method and extended the basic techniques of this method to numerous possible initial monomer mixtures having a wide variety of phosphorus pentoxide contents. The polymerization method, called the adjustable P2O5 content method, allows the preparation of a broad family of polymers at high concentration and allows the realization of the following advantages over state-of-the-art methods: High molecular weight. Fast polymerization rate. Direct preparation of a liquid crystalline solution having a high concentration of the high molecular weight polymer. The method was expanded to solvents beyond simple PPAs to include solvents containing a methanesulfonic acid P2O5 and similar strong acids. The concept of using higher surface-to-volume ratio reactors for preparing the initial monomer solution, that is, the dehydrochlorinated solution of the first monomer, is described. The striking differences in reaction rate and the attainable molecular weight of the condensation polymer of polymerizations that are conducted in the liquid crystalline (nematic) phase compared with those conducted in the isotropic phase give support to the concept of a mesophase-mediated polymerization phenomenon.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1986
- Accession Number
- ADA177108
Entities
People
- James F. Wolfe
Organizations
- SRI International