A STUDY OF THE POLYMERIZATION BEHAVIOR OF N-(4-PHENOXY)-PHENYLMALEIMIDE USING DSC ANALYSIS

The thermal cure of a monofunctional maleimide N-(4-phenoxy)-phenylmaleimide (1) was examined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The analogous bis-maleimide bis-(4-maleimidophenyl)ether (2) was also analyzed in the same manner for comparison. Polymerization kinetics derived from scanning DSC measurements showed an order of reaction varying between n = 1 and 2 for (1), compared to an order of reaction between n = 2 and 3 (by multiple linear regression analysis) for (2). The overall enthalpy of polymerization (DELTAH(o)) for N-(4-phenoxy)-phenylmaleimide (94kJ/mole) agrees well with that obtained for maleimide itself (89kJ/mole) using conventional calorimetric techniques indicating that polymerization appears complete within the timescale of the experiment. In contrast the analogous BMI displays a markedly lower overall polymerization enthalpy (ca. 66kJ/mole) indicating an apparent conversion of only 37%.