Synthesis and structure–property comparisons of hydrogenated poly(oxanorbornene‐imide)s and poly(norbornene‐imide)s prepared by ring‐opening metathesis polymerization

Abstract

Various structures of poly(norbornene-imide)s and poly(oxanorbornene-imide)s were synthesized and an optimal hydrogenation method was established. The thermal, thermomechanical, mechanical, and optical properties of thus prepared polymers were investigated, together with the structural characteristics shown by wide-angle X-ray scattering patterns. Poly(oxanorbornene-imide)s exhibit local nanostructure caused by intermolecular interactions between the imide and backbone oxygen moiety, which appears to prevent a significant decrease in Tg when compared with poly(norbornene-imide)s. Overall, hydrogenated poly(oxanorbornene-imide)s, obtained with more readily prepared exo-monomer, exhibit similar physical properties when compared with the corresponding hydrogenated poly(norbornene-imide)s.