Condensation polymers: synthesis, properties, and applications

¹ Department of Materials science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
² Department of Physics and Mathematics, University College London, London WC1E6BT, United Kingdom
³ Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
⁴ Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Ningbo 315100, China

^† These authors contribute equally.
^* Corresponding author:
^a email: 2018020262@mail.buct.edu.cn
^b email: ssyys4@nottingham.edu.cn

Abstract

With the widening of the application fields of polycondensation polymers, many types of modifiers have been used to modify the molecular structure of polycondensation polymers. In recent years, more and more researchers have focused on the study of the molecular structure modification of polycondensation polymers and gradually ignored the research on the synthesis methods and properties of polycondensation polymers. This review covers the synthesis strategies of four common polycondensation polymers in the market, including polyamide (PA), polycarbonate (PC), polyester (PET), and phenolic resin. Two general synthesis routes of PET starting from dimethyl terephthalate and terephthalic acid were suggested; the synthesis strategies of PA-66 and PA-6 were discussed; the synthesis methods of aromatic PC from bisphenol A polycarbonate by phosgene or transesterification were summarized; the general synthesis methods of thermoplastic phenolic resin and thermosetting phenolic resin were discussed. In addition, some new synthesis methods and modification methods of these polycondensation polymers were reviewed. Besides, the properties, application, and market value of these polycondensation polymers were summarized. It is hoped that it will be helpful for the new synthesis of polycondensation polymers.