In the following years, polymer chemists started studying the characteristics of this polymer and worked on enhancing its thermal stability and mechanical properties. In particular, Moore and coworkers conducted rigorous mechanistic studies on poly(phthalaldehyde) by modifying the type of catalyst used, as well as the starting monomer concentration in an effort to control the molar mass, decrease the polydispersity index, and increase the polymer's purity. Among the catalysts used were triethyloxonium borofluoride, tin chloride, and triphenylmethylium tetrafluoroborate.