Studies on heat-resistant poly(metal phthalocyanine)-imide copolymers

Several new poly(metal phthalocyanine)imide copolymers have been prepared using 3,3′,4,4′-benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride (BPTDA), metal(11) 4,4′,4″,4″′-phthalocyanine tetraamines (MPTA), p-phenylenediamine, 4,4′-methylenedianiline, and 9,9-bis(4-aminophenyl)-fluorene (BAF). The attractive feature of these polymers is their high thermooxidative and thermal stability. The polymer decomposition temperatures of all the imide copolymers are greater than 500°C in air and N atomspheres. Another noteworthy property is their high char yield: 60–78% at 800°C in a N₂ atmosphere. Variation of the metal phthalocyanine concentration has a remarkable effect on the thermal stability and degree of polymerization. The most preferred molar proportion of the reagents MPTA, diamine, and BTDA is 1.25:7.5:10. These polymers may be useful in the preparation of heat-resistant films and fibers.