Synthesis and characterization of organosoluble aromatic copolyimids

A series of aromatic copolyimides was successfully synthesized from the commercial pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) with a commercial diamine p-phenyldiamine (PDA) and a diamine 4,4′-methylenebis-(2-tert-butylaniline) (MBTBA) specially designed by the authors. The copolyimides were characterized by Infra-red (IR), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC), Ultraviolet Visual (UV-Vis), Thermogravimetic Analysis (TGA) and Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA). The copolyimide was precipitated in m-cresol in the polymerization process when the molar ratio of MBTBA and PDA was lower than 6/4. The number-average molecular weight of the soluble copolyimides measured by GPC was larger than 4.0 × 10⁴, and the polydispersity index was higher than 1.5. Only one glass transition temperature of these copolyimides was detected around 360°C by DMA. The copolyimides did not show appreciable decomposition up to 500°C under N₂, and the thermal stability of the copolyimide increased a little with the introduction of PDA into the polyimide main chain. Translated from Acta Polymerica Sinica, 2006, (4): 609–614 (in Chinese)