Selective Cleavage and Structural Stability of Double Crosslinked Aromatic Polyamide Porous Materials

Abstract A porous, crosslinked aromatic polyamide having COCl and COOH groups (referred to as PA herein) prepared had a mesoporous structure and comprised agglomerates of particles with average diameters of approximately 30 nm. The PA was found to swell with significant deformation in response to water vapor, but was almost unchanged after exposure to toluene vapor. The polymeric structure returned to its original porous morphology after removal of the solvents, demonstrating that the PA possessed affinity for specific solvents and shape memory. The chemical composition and porous structure of the PA were also not affected by heating to 330 °C. The COCl groups in the PA could be modified by reaction with 2,4,6‐triaminopyrimidine (TAP), resulting in a doubly crosslinked structure based on the reaction with the TAP as well as the existing amide moieties in the polymer. The degree of modification was highly dependent on the reaction solvent used. The porous structure of the PA was essentially unchanged after this modification. The TAP‐based crosslinks in the modified PA could be selectively cleaved along with vaporization of the TAP by heating at 330 °C, which no change to the porous structure. Thus, the PA showed excellent heat resistance and structural stability.