No abstract

It is still an enormous challenge to develop reprocessable polymers with ultrahigh thermal resistance and multiple-shape-memory behavior through a facile strategy. Herein, a new phenylethynyl-terminated all-aromatic liquid crystalline polyester amide (RLCP) with good processability was synthesized using six all-aromatic monomers and 4,4′-diacetamido-diphenyl sulfide as reactants and then a unique thermosetting liquid crystalline polymer (cured RLCP) with high thermal resistance and versatility was prepared through curing RLCP. Cured RLCP not only shows reprocessability and triple-shape-memory behavior but also has ultrahigh thermal resistance. Its initial thermal decomposition temperature (T di = 457.1 °C) and glass-transition temperature (T g = 224, 340 °C) are the highest among all reprocessable thermosetting polymers containing S–S bonds reported so far. The reversible dynamic exchange of S–S bonds and double-glass-transition behavior are the key reasons that endow cured RLCP with good reprocessability and triple-shape-memory behavior.