Toward the large scale synthesis of rigid-rod functional polymers

功能性硬棒聚合物是一种新型聚合物，在各种要求中越来越重要

Functional rigid-rod polymers are novel polymers with increasing importance for a variety of demanding applications, for example for automotive or electronic domains. Such polymers are usually prepared by polycondensation of expensive, hard-to-synthesize monomers, to yield polyimides, polyketones, polyetherketones, etc... The use of these polymers is restricted by their high cost and some inherent difficulty of preparation. Saint-Jean Photochimie, a St-Jean sur Richelieu based company specialized in the production of high-end polymer and polymer additives, would like to add a series of functional engineering polymers to their portfolio of products under a growing customer demand for such products. In the Claverie group, a group specialized in the synthesis of functional polymers, we have devised a seemingly simple and inexpensive route for the production of functional engineering polymers. They are prepared by the insertion polymerization of functional norbornenes. Such polymers have exceptional thermal, optical and thermal properties. The main objective of this project is to investigate the possibility to scale up the preparation of two polymers (one designed for the automotive sector, the other for the electronic sector) and to assess whether the lab-scale process performed in the Claverie group could be eventually be used in an industrial setting (ie in Saint-Jean Photochimie). This will be the first collaboration between the two partners. If successful, Saint-Jean Photochimie will be able to offer such polymers to their customers. Currently all existing functional rigid-rod polymers are produced by foreign companies. This innovative project will be advantageous to Canada, as it will place St-Jean Photochimie in a leading international position for the production of functional rigid-rod polymers, with as corollary, the recruitment of local HPQs.