Polyethersulfone(PES) Structure

Polyethersulfone is a pale amber, transparent, and amorphous thermoplastic resin. Amongst thermoplastic resin, it also doubles as the most temperature-resistant option that’s commercially available.

The resin material, PES, also has commendable water reabsorption and maintains stability in several chemicals. With a pretty considerable glass transition temperature, it guarantees superior dimensional integrity over a vast temperature range.

All these terrific properties are kudos to the chemical makeup and structure of the material. But before delving into its chemical structure, let’s take a quick look at its chemical preparation.

Chemical Preparation of Polyethersulfone

The industrial preparation of polyethersulfone is carried out by polycondensing relevant monomers to form a unit or polymerizing cyclic ether sulfone.

One of the most popular approaches to achieving this is the nucleophilic substitution of fluorosulfone or cholrosulfone using phenoxide ions.

Take, for instance, you could react a disodium bisphenol salt alongside dichlorodiophenyl. The output of this reaction will give polyethersulfone and sodium chloride.

Chemical Structure of PES

Chemically, polyethersulfone is called Poly(oxy-1,4-phenylenesulfonyl-1,4-phenylene)]. This is a material manufactured via the synthesis of polyester or polysulfonation.

The chemical structure of the material features multiple aromatic rings. These aromatic rings could either be that of biphenyl or phenol groups. These rings are then linked alternatively using sulfone and other groups, as shown below.

The structure of polyethersulfone is somewhat similar to that of polyetherketone. However, in the sulfonic group, in this case, acts as a substitute for the right-hand O-phenyl-CO section of polyetherketone.

The bond linkage between the structures is those with high thermal stability. This is what ensures that the material does not deform in any way over a wide range of temperatures. This could even be as high as 200°C, which is more than enough for most applications. An instance is in medical equipment. These materials are often subject to high temperatures for sterilization. Thus, when you use polyethersulfone, you can be sure that the dimensions are still stable regardless of the temperature to which you subject the material to.

The bond is also responsible for its considerable oxidative stability. This is what makes the material suitable for use with several chemicals. However, considering its structure, it might not perform so well when it comes to other aromatic chemicals.

The sulfone group attached to the material also reinforces its superiorly high-temperature performance. The ether linkage, on the other hand, helps with practical processing. In essence, it ensures that the polymer chains are very mobile when they are in the melt phase.

In Closing

Polyethersulfone has a somewhat straightforward structure, simply comprising linked phenyl and sulfone units. Both units add several distinct benefits to their build-ups and applications. For instance, we said the sulfone group is responsible for the high operational temperature stability it boasts. This chemical build-up is also responsible for its suitability for applications across automotive, electrical, industrial, and membrane applications.

So, if you’re still wondering whether or not is the material for you, well, you have to stop now. It is definitely for you. Now, reach out to us at office@polima.com.cn and we will gladly lead you on the right path to get you started.