A polymer comprising a polymer chain having at least one non-fused aromatic imide group, wherein the polymer is represented by formula: wherein each variable is independently R 1 is an electron withdrawing group chosen from -NO 2, -SO 2 NR' 2, -C R', -SO 3 M, or a halo, -NH 2, or -OR', or an electron releasing alkyl group, wherein M is selected from H, a metal cation, -NR' 4 +, or mixtures thereof; a is 0 to 2, 0 to 1, 0, or 1; W is oxygen, sulphur, nitrogen, >NH, or >NG, wherein G represents a hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl group containing 1 to 200, or 1 to 100, or 1 to 30 carbon atoms; R' is a -H, an optionally-substituted alkyl, and the substituent is hydroxyl or halo, or mixtures thereof; R 2 is a C 1 to C 20, or C 1 to C12, or C 1 to C 6 hydrocarbylene group or a C 1 to C 20, or C 1 to C 12, or C 1 to C 6 hydrocarbonylene group, when R 2 contains more than 2 carbon atoms, the hydrocarbylene group or hydrocarbonylene group is linear or branched or mixtures thereof; R 3 is a H or C 1-50 -optionally substituted hydrocarbyl group that bonds to a terminal oxygen atom of the polymer chain forming a terminal ether or terminal ester group and may or may not contain a group capable of polymerization such as a vinyl group, or C 1-50 -hydrocarbonyl group that bonds to the oxygen atom of the polymer chain forming a terminal ester group or terminal urethane group and may or may not contain a group capable of polymerization; Pol is a homopolymer chain or a copolymer chain, wherein the polymer chain is selected from the group consisting of a poly(ether), poly(ester), poly(ester amide), poly(amide), poly(alkylene), and mixtures thereof; u is 1 to 3; v is 1 to 2; w is 1 to 3; v is 2 when W is nitrogen; v is 1 when W is oxygen, sulphur, >NG; G is a hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl group containing 1 to 200, or 1 to 100, or 1 to 30 carbon atoms; and Q is a non-fused aromatic ring containing 4n+2 n-electrons, wherein n = 1 or more, and Q is bonded to the imide group in such a way to form a 5 or 6 membered imide ring. R 1 is an electron withdrawing group chosen from -NO 2, -SO 2 NR' 2, -C R', -SO 3 M, or a halo, -NH 2, or -OR', or an electron releasing alkyl group, wherein M is selected from H, a metal cation, -NR' 4 +, or mixtures thereof; a is 0 to 2, 0 to 1, 0, or 1; W is oxygen, sulphur, nitrogen, >NH, or >NG, wherein G represents a hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl group containing 1 to 200, or 1 to 100, or 1 to 30 carbon atoms; R' is a -H, an optionally-substituted alkyl, and the substituent is hydroxyl or halo, or mixtures thereof; R 2 is a C 1 to C 20, or C 1 to C12, or C 1 to C 6 hydrocarbylene group or a C 1 to C 20, or C 1 to C 12, or C 1 to C 6 hydrocarbonylene group, when R 2 contains more than 2 carbon atoms, the hydrocarbylene group or hydrocarbonylene group is linear or branched or mixtures thereof; R 3 is a H or C 1-50 -optionally substituted hydrocarbyl group that bonds to a terminal oxygen atom of the polymer chain forming a terminal ether or terminal ester group and may or may not contain a group capable of polymerization such as a vinyl group, or C 1-50 -hydrocarbonyl group that bonds to the oxygen atom of the polymer chain forming a terminal ester group or terminal urethane group and may or may not contain a group capable of polymerization; Pol is a homopolymer chain or a copolymer chain, wherein the polymer chain is selected from the group consisting of a poly(ether), poly(ester), poly(ester amide), poly(amide), poly(alkylene), and mixtures thereof; u is 1 to 3; v is 1 to 2; w is 1 to 3; v is 2 when W is nitrogen; v is 1 when W is oxygen, sulphur, >NG; G is a hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl group containing 1 to 200, or 1 to 100, or 1 to 30 carbon atoms; and Q is a non-fused aromatic ring containing 4n+2 n-electrons, wherein n = 1 or more, and Q is bonded to the imide group in such a way to form a 5 or 6 membered imide ring.