| Abstract: | The influence of the molecular structure of five soluble poly(amide imide)s (PAI)s on their gas transport properties for carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen, and methane has been studied. Permeabilities, diffusivities, and solubilities were determined by time lag measurements and correlated to chain packing and mobility as well as to polymer gas interaction. The PAIs were characterized by small‐ and wide‐angle X‐ray scattering. Molar masses and polymerization degrees were measured by light scattering. Additionally, glass transition temperatures, densities, and persistence lengths were determined. Pressure‐ and temperature‐dependent gas transport measurements have been done. It was found that the permeability is increasing with the diffusion coefficient which can be related to the fractional free volume. PAIs containing cardo diamines show higher diffusivities and permeabilities than poly(amide imide)s containing linear aromatic diamines due to higher fractional free volumes. The solubilities for PAIs containing the same imide compound correlate with the molar cohesive energy density. The exchange of hydrogen to fluorine atoms at one aromatic ring of the diamine increases the fractional free volume and cohesive energy density and, in consequence, the diffusion and solubility coefficient. Arrhenius behavior was observed for temperature dependence and decreasing permeability with increasing pressure. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 37: 2183–2193, 1999 |
