The effect of planar molecular orientation on the mechanical properties of rigid-chain polymide films

The effect of biaxial orientation on the mechanical properties and supramolecular structure of the films based on rigid-chain polyimides and copolyimides was studied. The films were oriented in two different ways: by hot drawing and by cold drawing at the prepolymer stage and the subsequent cyclization according to the specified temperature regime. It was shown that the curing of the precursor films after their preliminary biaxial drawing is accompanied by self-orientation, although its degree is well below that after uniaxial drawing under the same conditions. As compared with homopolyimide films, the films based on rigid-chain copolyimide exhibit a lower tendency toward orientation under biaxial drawing. The reasons for such behavior are discussed.