
8 Poly(Arylene Ether Nitrile)s
Processes for the manufacture of poly(arylene
ether nitrile) (PEN) had already been described
by the 1970s [1], however the first commer-
cial production is reported to have been in
1986 by Idemitsu [2]. PENs belong to high per-
formance semi-crystalline thermoplastic polymers
that exhibit a high melting temperature, excellent
mechanical properties, and high chemical resistance.
Essentially, a PEN has the structure as shown in
Figure 8.1 [3]. The polymer is also addressed as
poly(cyano aryl ether). Of course, the nitrile group
cannot constitute the backbone but is rather a side-
chain group. The synthesis routes and the properties ...