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Synthesis And Electrical Properties Of Fluorenyl Polyesters Incorporating Diamond Fragments, Kevin John Wiacek

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Based on the paradigm of diamond as a wide band-gap electrical insulator, molecular counterparts to crystalline diamond (cyclohexane, adamantane, and diamantane) were incorporated into a high-temperature fluorenyl polyester (FPE) with the intent of increasing the breakdown strength. The effect of incorporating a CycloteneTM thermoset as a crosslinking agent to increase the dielectric strength and the self-healing phenomena of these polymers were also investigated. Polymers were synthesized using 9,9-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)fluorene and the diacid chloride of cyclohexane, adamantane, and diamantane. Thin films of the polymers were cast from chloroform and the electrical properties were investigated. The polyester incorporating the largest diamond fragment had …