| Abstract: | A soluble aromatic poly (amic acid) film was converted to a soluble polyimide by staging at 25°C intervals to 325°C and characterized at each interval by several analytical methods. The behavior observed was consistent with an interpretation that a reduction occurred in molecular weight of the poly (amic acid) during the initial stages of cure before the ultimate molecular weight was achieved as a polyimide. This interpretation was supported by the results of solution viscosity, gel permeation chromatography, low angle laser light scattering photometry, and infrared spectroscopy analyses. The results of this study serve to increase our fundamental understanding of how polyimides are thermally formed from poly (amic acid)s. |
