Synthesis and characterization of novel organosoluble aromatic copolyimides
AbstractA series of novel aromatic copolyimides was synthesized from pyromellitic dianhydride with the commercial diamine 4,4’-methylenebisaniline (MBA) and the diamine 4,4’-methylenebis(2-tert-butylaniline) (MBTBA) specially designed by ourselves. The solubility of the copolyimides in conventional solvents decreased with the mole ratio of MBTBA to MBA. When MBTBA/MBA was larger than 8/2, the copolyimides are soluble in low boiling point solvents (such as chloroform and tetrahydrofuran) and can form a transparent, flexible, tough film by solution casting. When MBTBA/MBA was between 7/3 and 5/5, the copolyimides are only soluble in dipolar aprotic solvents (such as dimethylformamide and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone) and form films, too. The copolyimide was precipitated in m-cresol in the polymerization process when MBTBA/MBA was lower than 5/5. The number-average molecular weights of the soluble copolyimides measured by gel permeation chromatography were larger than 5.0·104 and the polydispersity index was higher than 1.5. Only one glass transition of these copolyimides was detected at around 350°C. The copolyimides did not show appreciable decomposition up to 400°C under air and 550°C under nitrogen, and their thermal stability increased a little with the introduction of MBA into the polymer chains.