Design, Synthesis, and Performance Optimization of Polycarbonates With Hexafluoroisopropyl and Cyclohexyl Structures

ABSTRACT With the rapid evolution of high‐frequency electronic technologies, particularly 5G communications, the Internet of Things, and millimeter‐wave radar systems, low‐dielectric constant polycarbonate materials show tremendous potential for applications in signal transmission technologies. In this study, a series of low‐dielectric constant co‐polycarbonates (PZAFCs) containing hexafluoroisopropyl and cyclohexyl structural units were successfully prepared via melt polycondensation of bisphenol Z (BPZ), bisphenol AF (BPAF), and diphenyl carbonate (DPC). The structure–property correlations of PZAFC copolymers were systematically investigated, especially the effect of hexafluoroisopropyl group content on the dielectric properties. The results demonstrated that the dielectric constant of PZAFCs gradually decreased with the increase of hexafluoroisopropyl structural unit content ( D k = 2.49–2.66, 1 MHz), while simultaneously maintaining stable and low‐dielectric loss ( D f = 0.0029–0.0043, 1 MHz), excellent thermal stability ( T g = 167.4°C–171.6°C), good mechanical properties (tensile strength ≥ 69.37 MPa), and superior optical transparency (above 85% transmittance at 500 nm). Therefore, the novel low‐dielectric constant polycarbonate is expected to be widely used in the fields of next‐generation high‐frequency communications, autonomous vehicles, and aerospace systems.