Abstract: A polyaryl sulphone made from a reagent of the formulae H--Ar--SO.sub.2.X and/or an equimolar mixture of reagents of the formulae X.SO.sub.2 --Ar--SO.sub.2.X and H--Ar--H, where X is a halogen atom and Ar is a bivalent aromatic radical, tends to suffer from an increase in the viscosity of the melt due to decomposition of terminal sulphonyl halide groups. A polymeric material containing no sulphonyl halide groups is obtained therefrom by reacting the polymer in solution with an organic compound such as aniline or diphenyl ether which will react with sulphonyl halide groups in the polymer to produce groups which are stable at temperatures at which the polymer is molten.

Abstract: Random or block copolymers having repeating units of the structures ##STR1## are crystallizable, in contrast to the regular alternating copolymer ##STR2## WHICH IS AMORPHOUS, AND THEY ARE USEFUL AS THERMOPLASTIC, FILM- AND FIBER-FORMING MATERIALS. They may be made by copolymerizing 4-phenoxyphenylsulphonyl and 4-phenoxybenzoyl chlorides in the presence of ferric chloride, or by copolymerizing alkali metal salts of 4-(4-chlorophenylsulphonyl) phenol and 4-(4-chlorobenzoyl) phenol.

Abstract: A prosthetic device having at least part of the surface thereof made of a material having a surface energy, as hereinbefore defined, in the range 50 erg cm.sup.-2 to 100 erg cm.sup.-2, for example, made of a plastics material which is a copolymer comprising repeat units having the structure --CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --O-- and other units capable of stabilizing the copolymer in water, the copolymer comprising at least 10% by weight of units having the structure --CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --O-- and no more than 95% by weight of said units.

Abstract: Transformer parts containing as electrical insulant a shaped polymeric material formed of repeating units having the structure --Ar--SO.sub.2 --.

Abstract: Switch gear containing as electrical insulant a shaped polymeric material formed of repeating units having the structure --Ar--SO.sub.2 --.

Abstract: 1. A film-forming polymeric material selected from the group consisting of (i) polymers consisting essentially of repeating units having the structure --Ar--SO.sub.2 -- and (ii) polymers consisting essentially of units having the structure --Ar--SO.sub.

Abstract: An article is disclosed comprising an adherend with a thermoplastic polymer adhering thereto, said polymer consisting essentially of (1) repeating units having the structure --Ar--SO.sub.2 -- or (2) repeating units having the structure --Ar--SO.sub.2 -- and repeating units having the structure --Ar--CO-- where Ar is a divalent aromatic radical derived from benzene, a polynuclear hydrocarbon, diphenyl, a compound having the structure ##SPC1##Where T is --O-- or --S--, or substituted derivatives of any such aromatic residues in which one or more of the hydrogen atoms bound to the aromatic rings are substituted by other monovalent atoms or groups, and Ar may vary from unit to unit in the polymer chain. The adherend may be glass or metal.

Abstract: New polymeric materials containing sulphone groups in the polymer chain are particularly suitable for moulding to give strong transparent products of high softening point and may be used as electrical insulants in condensers.

Abstract: Process for preparing polyaryl sulphones in a diluent selected from the class consisting of nitrobenzenes of the formula ##SPC1##In which A.sup.1 is selected from the class consisting of hydrogen, halogen atoms, alkyl groups, a cyano group and a nitro group and A.sup.2 is selected from the class consisting of hydrogen, halogen atoms and alkyl groups, the alkyl groups having not more than 4 carbon atoms each.