High-Performance Poly(aryl ether sulfone ketone)s with Balanced Heat Resistant and Solution Processability by Side-Phenyl-Modified Bisphthalazinone Moieties

The development of high-performance polymers that simultaneously achieve high-temperature resistance and solution processability holds critical importance for advancing high-tech applications. This study demonstrates an innovative molecular design strategy through the synthesis of side-phenyl-modified anthracene-type bisphthalazinone monomer (D-BDHPZ) derived from cost-effective pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) and subsequent preparation of poly(aryl ether sulfone ketone)s incorporating both side-phenyl-modified anthracene-type bisphthalazinone and ether-type bisphthalazinone (O-BDHPZ) moieties (PODPESKs). The resulting PODPESKs exhibit excellent thermal properties with glass transition temperatures ( T g s) ranging from 326 to 375 ℃ and thermal stability exceeding 460 ℃, while maintaining room-temperature solubility in N -Methylpyrrolidone (NMP) and tetrachloroethane. This unique combination enables solution processing of high-temperature resistant resins, allowing fabrication of high-performance films via solution casting. Comprehensive characterization reveals outstanding film properties including a tensile strength of 79.6–91.0 MPa, dielectric constants of 2.85–3.20, water absorption of 0.83–1.45 %, water contact angles of 82.6–93.6°, optical transmittance up to 83 % at 800 nm, and retention of 56.0 % storage modulus at 300 ℃. This work establishes a novel paradigm for designing solution-processable high-performance polymers with significant potential for cutting-edge applications in aerospace, electronics, and energy sectors.