Process for Modifying an Aromatic Polyether Backbone and a Modified Polyether Obtained by This Process

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The invention provides an improved process for modifying (functionalizing) aromatic polyether polymers, such as polysulfones, by incorporating various functional groups into their polymer backbones through a controlled chemical reaction. This process uses specific modification reagents and boron trifluoride-based catalysts in mild and environmentally-friendly conditions, enabling easy purification and solvent/catalyst recycling. As a result, it allows the creation of customized polyether materials with enhanced and tunable properties for various advanced applications.

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• Production of high-performance polymer membranes for water and gas separation industries.
• Fabrication of specialized medical devices such as blood purification filters or biocompatible membranes.
• Manufacture of coatings or composites with tailored chemical or mechanical resistance.
• Development of polymeric materials for microelectronics (e.g., dielectric layers, flexible substrates).
• Creation of proton exchange membranes for fuel cells and energy storage applications.
• Customizing surface properties of polymers for bioengineering or sensor applications.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Offers a versatile, mild, and cost-effective method to chemically modify widely used polyethers.
• Enables precise incorporation of desired functional groups, allowing tuning of material surface and bulk properties.
• Reduces environmental impact by emphasizing solvent and catalyst recycling.
• Minimizes undesirable side reactions (like crosslinking and chain scission), preserving polymer performance.
• Simplifies purification steps, making the process suitable for industrial and large-scale production.
• Extends the range of potential applications for aromatic polyether-based materials by overcoming previous limitations (e.g., brittleness, poor resistance).

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Patent Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for modifying an aromatic polyether backbone for obtaining a modified polyether comprising the steps of: a) providing the at least one aromatic polyether to be modified in dissolved state in an inert organic solvent, b) adding at least one modification reagent, c) adding at least one catalyst, d) carrying out the process until a desired degree of functionalization of said aromatic polyether backbone is reached, e) recovery of the modified aromatic polyether. The present invention also relates to a modified polyether obtained by this process.