Polymerization,structure and thermal properties of ODPA-DMB polyimide films

A new high molecular weight polyimide based on 4,4-oxidiphthalic anhydride (ODPA) dianhydride and 2,2-dimethyl-4,4-diaminobiphenyl (DMB) diamine has been synthesizedvia a one-step polymerization method. This polyimide is soluble in phenolic solvents. Films from 7 to 30 m thick were cast from the polymer solution and show in-plane orientation on a molecular scale detected by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy experiments. This anisotropic structure leads to anisotropic optical properties arising from two different refractive indices along the inplane and out-of-plane directions. ODPA DMB possesses high thermal and thermo-oxidative stability. The glass transition temperature has been determined to be 298 °C. Dynamic mechanical analyses show two relaxation processes appearing above room temperature: the - and the -relaxation processes. The -relaxation corresponds to the glass transition while the -relaxation is a secondary relaxation process associated with the non-cooperative subsegmental motion.Dedicated to Professor Bernhard Wunderlich on the occasion of his 65th birthdayYHK acknowledges the support from the Yonam Foundation, Korea. This work was also supported by the Center of Molecular and Microstructure of Composites (CMMC) of NSF/EPIC/Industry, SZDC gratefully acknowledges the support from his PYI Award (DMR-9157738) from the National Science Foundation.