A HIGH GLASS TRANSITION TEMPERATURE, THERMALLY STABLE AND TRANSPARENT POLYMER FOR PLASTIC OPTICAL FIBER; A NOVEL COPOLYMER OF METHYL METHACRYLATE WITH N-PENTAFLUOROPHENYL MALEIMIDE

摘要

N-pentafluorophenyl maleimide (PFPMI) was synthesized. The homo and copolymers of PFPMI with methyl methacrylate (MMA) were prepared. The refractive indexes of poly(PFPMI) and PMMA are almost the same, 1.4989 and 1.4953 at 532 nm respectively. Therefore, the copolymers of PFPMI and MMA exhibited no light scattering and the film was very transparent. The glass transition temperatures of the PFPMI-co-MMA were in the range of 140 deg C-180 deg Cand the refractive indexes were 1.4965-1.4970 with the PFPMI content from 18.8-65 mol(percent). In addition, the copolymers obtained have high thermal stability (approx370 deg C) and low water absorption property.