Synthesis of thermotropic polybenzoxazole using 3-amino-4-hydroxybenzoic acid.

Bio-based polybenzoxazoles (PBOs) are prepared by polycondensation of diacid monomer derived from 3-amino-4-hydroxybenzoic acid with a series of aliphatic diamines. Resulting bio-based PBOs have high weight average molecular weight ranging 5.70-7.20 × 10 g/mol and show ultrahigh thermal resistance with T values over 400 °C and T values over 170 °C, which are higher than those of conventional bio-based polymers, polyamides 11 (around 60 °C) or poly(lactic acid) (56 °C). Especially hydrazide group of the bio-based PBO were cyclized to form diazole ring by annealing at 330 °C for 20 min. The resultant PBO show liquid crystalline (LC) behavior to spin fiber in a melting state. The resultant PBO fibers showed high values of Young's modulus and mechanical strength as compared with conventional polymers polyamide 11 and poly(lactic acid) (PLA). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]