New high-tensile thermally stable copolymers of poly(p-phenylene-1,3,4-oxadiazole)

A one-stage method is developed for the synthesis of new irregular copolymers of poly( p -phenylene-1,3,4-oxadiazole), whose polymer chain contains a 5,5-dioxodibenzothiophenylene fragment. The polymer synthesis is performed through direct copolymerization of terephthalic acid, 5,5-dioxodibenzothiophen-3,7-dicarboxylic acid, and hydrazine sulfate in oleum at an elevated temperature. The introduction of 13.5–17% structural fragments of 5,5-dioxodibenzothiophene into a copolymer macromolecule makes it possible to improve the thermal stability and fire-resistance of fibers and films produced on their basis and to achieve a 30% increase in breaking strength and a fivefold greater breaking extension relative to those values for a homopolymer based on terephthalic acid.