Development of space stable semitransparent polyquinoxaline films

Three polyphenylquinoxalines underwent preliminary study for potential use as coatings on aircraft and spacecraft. These polymers were prepared from the reaction of 3,3 prime, 4,4 prime-tetraaminodiphenyl ether with p,p prime-oxydibenzil and with m -bis (phenylglyoxalyl) benzene and from the reaction of 3,3 prime, 4,4 prime-tetraaminodiphenylsulfone with p,p prime-oxydibenzil. High purity reactants and solvents were used in polymer preparation to minimize color in the polymer films. High molecular weight polymers were prepared at ambient temperature at 12 to 15 percent concentration by upsetting the stoichiometry by 0.5 to 1.0 percent in favor of the bis (1,2-dicarbonyl) reactant. A portion of each polymer was endcapped with benzil and with o-phenylenediamine. Certain properties of the endcapped and unendcapped versions of each polymer are compared. Uniform films of 2.0 and 0.1 mil thickness were cast from solutions of the unendcapped and endcapped versions of each of the three polymers.