Abstract: | Silicon containing polyamides were prepared by melt polycondensation method with a 1,3-bis(3-aminopropyl)tetramethyldisiloxane and aliphatic dicarboxylic acids having various numbers of methylene groups. Only one endothermic peak appeared in the DTA curve of the quenched sample for polyamides having an even number of methylene groups in the repeating unit. Two endothermic peaks, however, appeared for the sample kept for a week in dry air at ambient temperature after quenching: the peak at the higher temperature is called peak I; and the peak at the lower one, peak II. By heat treatment at the higher temperature, peak II shifted to a higher temperature and increased its peak area, and peak I decreased its peak area while keeping its temperature unchanged. This behavior suggests the existence of two types of crystalline states. The peak temperature of peak I alternatively decreased with the increase of the number of methylene groups. The Young's modulus and the tensile strength increased with increase of annealing time at ambient temperature. The solubilities in various solvents, the resistance to alkali solution, and the thermal stability were acceptable. Both the permeation coefficient of oxygen (P) and the separation ratio (P/P) increased with the increase of silicon content in the repeating unit. |