Triptycene side unit effects on compressive yield strength in polycarbonates

Abstract

Polycarbonates have long been studied for their excellent mechanical toughness. Adding side units to polycarbonate could increase physical properties of the polymer. The role of triptycene in polycarbonate was studied by adding a low concentration of triptycene-containing polymer chains, and using compression testing. The triptycene polycarbonate was a blend created from two separate products. Differential Scanning Calorimetry was used to determine if the samples had phase separated. Thermal degradation of the samples was checked for using Thermogravimetric Analysis. Results indicated that triptycene-containing polycarbonates had higher compressive yield strengths than non-triptycene polycarbonates. The polymers were stronger due to the interlocking mechanism and the steric hindrance of the triptycene units. The design of strengthening polymers by adding triptycene units could prove useful to improve high performing polymers, or to give low molecular weight polymers more stability.