POLYMER BULLETIN, vol.76, no.4, pp.1651-1674, 2019 (SCI-Expanded)
3-Aminopropyltriethoxysilane (3-APTES)-functionalized phenoxy-imine polymers exhibiting enhanced thermal properties have been synthesized by oxidative polycondensation using 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, 2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde, 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde, 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde and 3,4-dihydroxy benzaldehyde; subsequently, the polymerized aldehydes polymers were grafted by integrating 3-APTES to form poly(imine)s. All compounds characterized by FT-IR, UV-Vis, H-1-NMR and XPS analyses revealed the existence of Si-O-C bonds in the silanized compounds. Thermal behavior (TG-DTA-DSC) of the synthesized polymers has been determined using thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry techniques. The thermal stability of the phenoxy-imine polymers was enhanced significantly by incorporation of 3-APTES into the polymer backbone. Size exclusion chromatography provided information about the number average molecular weight (M-n), weight average molecular weight (M-w) and polydispersity index values of phenoxy-imine polymers. Photoluminescence and morphologic properties of the polymers at different amplifications were analyzed. The results of optical, thermal and electrical conductivity measurements indicated that the phenoxy-imine polymers were crucial due to their high electrical conductivity and heat retardancy as well as the lowest band gap for P3 derived from 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde and 3-APTES. Graphical abstract3-Aminopropyltriethoxysilane-functionalized phenoxy-imine polymers were synthesized using the polymerized aldehydes. The results of optical, thermal and electrical conductivity measurements indicated that the phenoxy-imine polymers were crucial due to their highest electrical conductivity and heat retardancy as well as the lowest band gap for P3 derived from 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde and 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane.