Development of an impact- and solvent-resistant thermoplastic composite matrix

Synthesis, moldability and chloroform, acetone and tricresyl phosphate resistance of 16 polymer compositions are described. These aliphatic heterocyclic polymers include polyimides, polybenzimidazoles, and N-arylenepolybenzimidazoles. A solution condensation (cresol) method to prepare imidized aliphaic polyimides is described. Two polyimides and one polybenzimidazole demonstrate no crazing or cracking during 500 hr exposure to the cited solvents under stress. Modification of one aliphatic polyimide with several aromatic amines suggests that m-phenylenediamine is singular in its behavior to improve the chloroform resistance of that class of polyimides.