Thermosetting compositions containing poly(arylacetylenes)

Claim 2

A THERMOSETTING COMPOSITION COMPRISING A BLEND OF (1) A PREPOLYMER OF AT LEAST ONE POLYACETYLENICALLY SUBSTITUTED AROMATIC COMPOUND, SAID PREPOLYMER HAVING A NUMBER AVERAGE MOLECULAR WEIGHT FROM ABOUT 900 TO ABOUT 12,000, A RATIO OF AROMATIC PROTONS TO OLEFINIC PROTONS GREATER THAN ABOUT 2.4 AND CONTAINING FROM ABOUT 5 TO ABOUT 20% ACETYLENIC GROUPS BY WEIGHT OF THE PREPOLYMER, WITH (2) FROM ABOUT 2 TO ABOUT 200%, BY WEIGHT OF THE PREPOLYMER, OF AT LEAST ONE AROMATIC ORGANIC COMPOUND CONTAINING AT LEAST TWO SIX-MEMBERED AROMATIC RINGS, SAID RINGS BEING CONDENSED WITH EACH OTHER OR COUPLED WITH EACH OTHER DIRECTLY OR THROUGH A METHYLENE, DIMETHYLMETHYLENE, ETHYLEN OR VINYLENE GROUP, SAID COMPOUND OR MIXTURES THEREOF CONTAINING NO CRYSTALLINE ORGANIC PHASE AT 220*C., HAVING A VISCOSITY OF LESS THAN 20 CENTIPOISES AT 220*C. AND CONTAINING NO MORE THAN 5% OF MATERIAL VOLATILE AT 240*C.

Claim 3

The thermosetting composition of claim 1 wherein the prepolymer comprises a polymer of a diethynylbenzene.

Claim 4

the thermosetting composition of claim 2 wherein the polymer of a diethynylbenzene is a copolymer of a diethynylbenzene and diphenylbutadiyne.

Claim 5

The thermosetting composition of claim 2 wherein the polymer of a diethynylbenzene is a copolymer of a diethynylbenzene and phenylacetylene.

Claim 6

The thermosetting composition of claim 2 wherein the aromatic organic compound is anthracene.

Claim 7

The thermosetting composition of claim 5 wherein diphenylbutadiyne is used in conjunction with the anthracene.

Claim 8

The thermosetting composition of claim 2 wherein the aromatic organic compound is phenanthrene.

Claim 9

The thermosetting composition of claim 7 wherein diphenylbutadiyne is used in conjunction with the phenanthrene.

Claim 10

The thermosetting composition of claim 2 wherein the aromatic organic compound is diphenylmethane.

Claim 11

The thermosetting composition of claim 2 wherein the aromatic organic compound is the complex mixture of high boiling aromatic compounds present in high boiling fractions of coal tar pitch.

Claim 12

The thermosetting composition of claim 2 wherein the aromatic organic compound is the complex mixture of high boiling aromatic compounds present in high boiling fractions of petroleum pitch.

Claim 13

A thermoset resin obtained by heat curing the thermosetting composition of claim 1.

Claim 14

The process of preparing a thermoset resin essentially free of aliphatic unsaturation which comprises (1) in a first stage (a) preparing a prepolymer by polymerizing at least one polyacetylenically substituted aromatic compound by heating said compound with said aromatization catalyst in an inert orgnaic diluent to a temperature of from bout 55*C. to about 250*C. until from about 30% to about 90% of said compound has been converted to polymer, (b) separating the prepolymer from the polymerization reaction mixture, and (2) in a second stage, (a) fabricating a blend of said prepolymer and from about 2 to about 200%, by weight of the prepolymer, of at least one aromatic organic compound containing at least two six-membered aromatic rings, said rings being condensed with each other or coupled with each other directly or through a methylene, dimethylmethylene, ethylene or vinylene group, said compound or mixtures thereof containing no crystalline organic phase at 220*C., having a viscosity of less than 20 centiposies at 220*C. and containing no more than 5% of material volatile at 240*C., and (b) heating the fabricated blend to a temperature of from about 100*C. to about 300*C.

Claim 15

The process of preparing a thermoset resin essentially free of aliphatic unsaturation which comprises (1) in a first stage (a) preparing a prepolymer by polymerizing at least one polyacetylenically substituted aromatic compound by heating said compound with said aromatization catalyst in an inert orgnaic diluent to a temperature of from bout 55*C. to about 250*C. until from about 30% to about 90% of said compound has been converted to polymer, (b) separating the prepolymer from the polymerization reaction mixture, and (2) in a second stage, (a) fabricating a blend of said prepolymer and from about 2 to about 200%, by weight of the prepolymer, of at least one aromatic organic compound containing at least two six-membered aromatic rings, said rings being condensed with each other or coupled with each other directly or through a methylene, dimethylmethylene, ethylene or vinylene group, said compound or mixtures thereof containing no crystalline organic phase at 220*C., having a viscosity of less than 20 centiposies at 220*C. and containing no more than 5% of material volatile at 240*C., and (b) heating the fabricated blend to a temperature of from about 100*C. to about 300*C.

Claim 16

The process of claim 13 wherein the prepolymer prepared in the first stage is prepared from a diethynylbenzene and the aromatic organic compound used in the second stage is the complex mixture of high boiling aromatic compounds present in high boiling fractions of coal tar pitch.

Claim 17

The process of claim 13 wherein the prepolymer prepared in the first stage is prepared from a diethynylbenzene and the aromatic organic compound used in the second stage is the complex mixture of high boiling aromatic compounds present in high boiling fractions of petroleum pitch.