Synthesis and Characterization of Interpenetrating Polymer Networks

Authors: Kuba Szulejko, Gregory Phelan

SUNY Campus: SUNY Cortland

Presentation Type: Poster

Location: UU 111

Presentation #: 72

Timeslot: Session D 3:00-4:00 PM

Abstract: There is considerable interest in finding functional materials to be used in the next generation of organic electronic devices. These functional materials are needed to help improve stability and increase operability. A series of interpenetrating polymer networks (IPN) and pseudo-IPN were synthesized using monomers and polymers, including phenylene oxide, vinyl pyridine, and styrene. Poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (PPO) is a widely used and well-known component of IPN chemistry. As such, it serves as the foundational material for this research. To introduce cross-linking into the polymers, N-bromosuccinimide was used to brominate PPO. A cross-linking agent was used to replace the bromine and connect multiple polymer chains. The compositions of the networks are based on the weight percent of each polymer used in the mixture. The resulting materials were characterized using DSC and SEM. Computer programs were developed using Python to analyze the data from the thermal analysis. Details of the synthesis and morphological results will be presented.