A novel monomer design for the synthesis of PPE-type polymers containing conjugated segments of well-defined length connected by flexible linkers under Sonogashira reaction conditions is presented. The resulting polymers retain the photophysical properties of a fully conjugated PPE. The extent of incorporation of the flexible units along the backbone is governed by the comonomer feed ratio and can be varied in a statistically predictable fashion.

A high molecular weight compound according to the present invention includes a substituted triarylamine structural unit represented by a general formula (1) below, ##STR00001## where Ar.sup.1 and Ar.sup.2 are a divalent aromatic hydrocarbon group or a divalent aromatic heterocyclic group, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 represent a hydrogen atom, a heavy hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, a cyano group, a nitro group, an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkyloxy group, or a cycloalkyloxy group, X, Y and Z are, on the condition that at least one of them is an aryl group or a heteroaryl group, an aryl group, a heteroaryl group, or a group similar to the groups represented by R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 above.

A quinone-containing poly(arylene) includes repeating units of formula (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), or (VI) as defined herein. The quinone-containing poly(arylene) can be useful in composites, electrode assemblies, electrochemical cells, gas separation systems, energy storage devices, and electrochromic devices.

The present invention provides a fluorine-containing liquid crystal polymer of Formula (1). The present invention also discloses a fluorine-containing liquid crystal elastomer, which comprises a copolymer of a fluorine-containing liquid crystal polymer of Formula (1) with a near-infrared dye of Formula (2). The fluorine-containing liquid crystal elastomer of the present invention shrinks due to the photothermal conversion effect of the material under the irradiation of near-infrared light, and thus is widely applicable to the field of actuators. The fluorine-containing liquid crystal polymer of the present invention introduces fluorine-containing segments into the cross-linked network of the liquid crystal polymer, to improve the mechanical performance of the material, and greatly extend the service time of light-controlled actuators.

The present invention relates to a one-step process for preparation of “in-situ” or “ex-situ” self-organized and electrically conducting polymer nanocomposites using thermally initiated polymerization of a halogenated 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene monomer or its derivatives. This approach does not require additional polymerization initiators or catalysts, produce gaseous products that are naturally removed without affecting the polymer matrix, and do not leave by-product contaminants. It is demonstrated that self-polymerization of halogenated 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene monomer is not affected by the presence of a solid-state phase in the form of nanoparticles and results in formation of 3,4-polyethylenedioxythiophene (PEDOT) nanocomposites.

Provided are a method for producing an anion exchange resin which is capable of producing an electrolyte membrane with excellent mechanical property (strength).

A monomer for forming a hydrophobic group is reacted with a monomer for forming a hydrophilic group in the presence of bis(1,5-cyclooctadiene)nickel(0) as a catalyst, 2,2′-bipyridine as a co-ligand, a bromide or an iodide as a co-catalyst, and a reducing agent to produce an anion exchange resin where the hydrophobic group is connected to the hydrophilic group via direct bond, in which a mole number of bis(1,5-cyclooctadiene)nickel(0) is 0.3 to 1.8 times a total mole number of the monomer for forming a hydrophobic group and the monomer for forming a hydrophilic group.

A quinone-containing poly(arylene) includes repeating units of formula (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), or (VI) as defined herein. The quinone-containing poly(arylene) can be useful in composites, electrode assemblies, electrochemical cells, gas separation systems, energy storage devices, and electrochromic devices.

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a fluorine-containing aromatic polymer; a method for producing the fluorine-containing aromatic polymer; etc. The problem can be solved by: a polymer having a monomer unit represented by formula (1) (wherein R.sup.1 in each occurrence is independently a halogen atom, NR.sup.11R.sup.12 (wherein R.sup.11 and R.sup.12 are independently a hydrogen atom or an organic group), or an organic group; n1 is an integer of 0 to 4; two R.sup.1s that can be present in the ortho-positions may form a ring together with two carbon atoms on the adjacent benzene ring, wherein the formed ring may have an organic group as a substituent; and L.sup.1 is a single bond, an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, -L.sup.11-O—, —O-L.sup.12-O—, -L.sup.13-S—, or —S-L.sup.14-S— (wherein L.sup.11 to L.sup.14 are each independently an alkylene group optionally having one or more substituents); etc.

Anion exchange polymers comprise a plurality of repeating units of formula (I). The polymer may be synthesized from a super acid catalyzed polyhydroxyalkylation reaction of monomers Ar.sub.1′, Ar.sub.2′, and X.sub.1′ to form a neutral precursor polymer followed by a Menshutkin reaction to convert the neutral precursor polymer to the anion exchange polymer.

##STR00001##

Anion exchange membranes and membrane electrode assemblies incorporating the anion exchange polymers are also described.

A quinone-containing poly(arylene) includes repeating units of formula (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), or (VI) as defined herein. The quinone-containing poly(arylene) can be useful in composites, electrode assemblies, electrochemical cells, gas separation systems, energy storage devices, and electrochromic devices.