Toughened articles composed of linear aromatic polymers

Abstract

Shaped articles composed of compacted polymeric particles wherein said polymer comprises substantially linear, aromatic polymer selected from the group consisting of aromatic hydrocarbon polymers, aromatic halocarbon polymers and aromatic halohydrocarbon polymers, consists essentially of substantially heteroatom-free aromatic linkages along the polymer backbone, is thermally stable at about 400.degree. C as evidenced by decomposition temperatures above about 400.degree. C, is infusible at the decomposition temperature, and is insoluble in conventional solvents are toughened by sintering said shaped article under a time-temperature cycle such that, when .sup.T /T.sub.10 is plotted against t in the graph of the drawing, the point falls between the line representing the equation log t + 34.5 .sup.T /T.sub.10 = 34.5 and the line representing the equation log t + 69 .sup. T/T.sub.10 = 60 wherein t is the sintering time in seconds, T is the sintering temperature in degrees Kelvin, and T.sub.10 is the decomposition temperature of the polymer in degrees Kelvin.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.