Evaluation of Pyrocondensates as a Polymerization Raw Material

Two pyrocondensate samples were examined in order to evaluate them as polymerization raw materials. The components were identified or undoubtedly characterized by means of mass spectral data taken by GC-MS and by gas chromatography retention data. Quantitative analysis of pyrocondensates and the residues which remained after cationic, thermal or free radical polymerizations was made by high resolution gas chromatography, Pyrocondensates contained mainly alkyl and alkenyl substituted benzenes and fused ring compounds. In one sample bicyclic components, with cyelopentadiene and cyclohexadiene as constitutive bases, were found. As the samples contained a fairly high portion of components able to polymerize, they were found to be of interest for polymerization into resins. Polimerization yields of the whole sample and of a single reactive component depended on the type of polymerization. Cationic polymerization gave the highest and polymerization by peroxides the lowest polymerization yield in the whole sample. Alkenylbenzenes and indenes reacted in the cationic polymerization better than in the other two kinds of polymerization, while bicyeles gave the best yield in the polymerization of thermal type