Abstract

The aromatic polyethers described in this article are engineering thermoplastics which have excellent physical properties and desirable high temperature properties. Two general classes of materials are described. One class of polyethers comprises polymers with only arylene ether linkages in the backbone, ie, the 1,4-polyphenylene oxides. The principal commercial material, poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) is prepared by oxidative coupling polymerization of 2,6-dimethylphenol. Its synthesis, reaction mechanism, and properties are described. In addition, compatible blends of poly(phenylene oxides) with polymers such as polystyrene, as well as other types of blends, are mentioned. A second general class of aromatic polyethers that is covered consists of materials containing alternating sequences of polyarylene ethers and other arylene units which are linked by functional groups other than ethers. The latter group includes the commercial materials: polyethersulfones, polyetherketones, and polyetherimides. Syntheses and properties of these are presented.