Flame retardant polyphosphazenes

Abstract

Three processes for the preparation of polyphosphazenes were investigated: (1) the reaction of bisphosphines with diazides, (2) the condensation of bisdichlorophosphoranes with diamines; and (3) the treatment of bisphosphines with diamines in the presence of carbon tetrachloride followed by base dehydrohalogenation. All products obtained were of low molecular weight; the degree of polymerization did not exceed twelve repeating units. However, several compositions exhibited good thermal stability. No weight loss was observed up to 390 C when heated in air at 5 C/min. Treatment of bisphosphines with either an excess of a diazide or an excess of a diamine in the presence of carbon tetrachloride resulted in the production of difunctional phosphazenes which were respectively, azido and amino terminated. The reaction of these azido terminated extended monomers with bisphosphines did not produce high molecular weight materials. The bis-aminophosphazene prepared for the first time under this contract was successfully incorporated into a polyimide.