Synthesis and characterization, and crystallization behavior of polyamides containing sulfone groups

Abstract

A series of novel poly(amide-sulfone)s were synthesized to investigate the effect of dipole-dipole interaction and hydrogen bonding on the crystallization behavior. Introduction of the sulfone groups to the polymers resulted in changing the physical and thermal characteristics (e.g., solubility and melting point) from that typical of polyamides. The ordered phase of the polymers were studied using differential scanning calorimetry, cross-polarizing optical microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. PSCAs have a pseudohexagonal phase at room temperature indicating that the dipole-dipole interaction affects the crystal structures determined by hydrogen bonding. Therefore it is clearly verified that, in addition to hydrogen bonding, the dipole-dipole interaction between the very polar sulfone groups can generate and control the ordered structures of the polymers.