1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a novel curable polymeric composition, the composition after it has been cured and an article comprising at least one layer of the composition supported on a substrate.
2. Background and Invention
Aromatic polymers have many desirable properties, such as good lap shear strength, thermal stability and tensile strength which make them useful for a wide variety of applications. The term aromatic polymer is used herein to mean a polymer which has aromatic groups incorporated in the repeat unit of their backbone chain. Such polymers include for example poly(imides), poly(etherimides), poly(sulfones), poly(ether sulfones), poly(aryl ether ketones), poly(carbonates), poly(arylates) and the like.
Aromatic polymers can be used as adhesives, coatings, matrix resins for fiber reinforced composite structures and numerous other uses where a relatively thin layer of the polymer is placed on a substrate. One of the problems that has been encountered in the use of aromatic polymers is the tendency of the polymers to crack, particularly when exposed to certain solvents. Further, when used as adhesives and coatings the adhesion between the polymer and various substrates can be less than that required for high performance applications.
I have now discovered that solvent cracking resistance, adhesive properties, high temperature properties and tensile strength of aromatic polymers can be significantly improved by adding a reactive aromatic component to the aromatic polymer and then curing the resulting composition.