Polyether Sulfone-Based Epoxy Toughening: From Micro- to Nano-Phase Separation via PES End-Chain Modification and Process Engineering.

The toughness of a high-performance thermosetting epoxy network can be greatly improved by generating polyether sulfone-based macro- to nano-scale morphologies. Two polyethersulfones (PES) which only differ by their chain-end nature have been successively investigated as potential tougheners of a high-T thermoset matrix based on a mixture of trifunctional and difunctional aromatic epoxies and an aromatic diamine. For a given PES content, morphologies and toughness of the resulting matrices have been tuned by changing curing conditions and put into perspective with PES chain-end nature.

Biobased Amines: From Synthesis to Polymers; Present and Future.

Amines are key intermediates in the chemical industry due to their nucleophilic characteristic which confers a high reactivity to them. Thus, they are key monomers for the synthesis of polyamides, polyureas, polyepoxydes, which are all of growing interest in automotive, aerospace, building, or health applications. Despite a growing interest for biobased monomers and polymers, and particularly polyamides, it should be noticed that very few natural amines are available.

Structure-properties relationship of biosourced stereocontrolled polytriazoles from click chemistry step growth polymerization of diazide and dialkyne dianhydrohexitols.

The design of dialkyne and diazide functionalized dianhydrohexitol stereoisomers (1-6) afforded a new family of starch-based polytriazoles (7-15) with defined stereochemistry through A(2) + B(2) CuAAC step growth polymerization. The present strategy gave rise to polytriazoles having a high biosourced weight fraction (superior to 60% wt) and exhibiting relatively high molar masses (M(n) = 8-17 kg/mol) that could be easily dissolved in DMF or DMSO. The obtained materials were amorphous and displayed high transition temperatures (T(g) = 125-166 °C) as well as good resistance to thermal degradation (T(d10) = 325-347 °C).

Click chemistry step growth polymerization of novel alpha-azide-omega-alkyne monomers.

A novel step growth polymerization A-B strategy based on the click chemistry polyaddition of tailor-made alpha-azide-omega-alkyne low molar mass monomers was developed, leading to polytriazole (co)polymers with tunable structures and properties.