Designing polymer materials with specific thermomechanical properties is a perennial area of research. Crafting these materials requires a specific and nuanced understanding of structure-property relationships that includes the effects of intermolecular forces on interchain interactions. We have synthesized a panel of polyamides and polyesters derived from linear 6-membered diamines and diols and a stereocontrolled cis or trans-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid comonomer. Earlier experiments established using the cis vs. trans monomer in polyamides resulted in drastically different thermal properties. The all-trans material resembled Nylon-6,6 with a Tg of 125 °C and prominent Tm of 390 °C, while the all-cis material was completely amorphous with a Tg of 115 °C. To deconvolute the effect of hydrogen bonding, analogous polyesters were synthesized. These materials displayed significantly lower Tg of -70 to -45 °C and Tm near 80 °C. We have synthesized a panel of materials that systematically vary the cis content from 0.5-10 mol% of the diacid monomer content to identify blends that maximize the benefits of the cis monomer’s enhanced molecular vibrations with the mechanical reinforcement of the trans monomer.

Disentangling the effects of intermolecular forces and stereochemistry on impact resistant polymers

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