Molecular composite. I. Novel block copolymers of liquid-crystalline polyamide and amorphous polyimide: Synthesis and characterization

Two series of PA/PI block copolymers have been prepared from a two-pot polycondensation reaction. Acid-terminated poly-p-benzamide (PBA) prepolymer, composed of a rigid-rod structure and lyotropic character, was synthesized by applying the phosphorylation reaction of Yamazaki. On the other hand, two amine-terminated polyimide prepolymers with an amorphous structure were prepared by a typical low-temperature condensation reaction from 4,4′-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)-bis(phthalic anhydride) (6FDA)/2,2′-bis-(4-aminophenyl)-hexafluoropropane (BAAF) and 3,3′,4,4′-benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride (BTDA)/2,3,5,6-tetramethyl-p-phenylene diamine (TMPD). The molecular weight of these prepolymers was determined by intrinsic viscosity or GPC. The copolymerization was carried out by mixing two prepolymer solutions. The products were analyzed by extraction, IR, and η_inh so as to confirm that the copolymerization reaction was precisely accomplished. Thermal analysis and lyotropic behavior were studied for these block copolymers and the critical concentration in NMP–LiCl was found to be 6.0% for one among those block copolymers. The copolymers were observed to form anisotropic liquid-crystalline domains under polarized light once the solutions had been prepared at (and beyond) the critical concentration. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.