Synthesis, characterization and film preparation of 6FDA-based polyimides with polar groups arranged for thermal crosslinking

Abstract

Abstract Thermal crosslinking of polyimides is a relevant methodology to increase their chemical resistance. This reaction is induced by heating after polymerization. Although this reaction is considered a viable route to modify polyimides, there is controversy over the specific temperature for the reaction. To contribute to the knowledge of crosslinked structures, we performed a differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) and solubility test studies on a series of polyimides with different molar ratios of carboxylic acid groups. With 3,5-diaminobenzoic acid (DABA) as a source of carboxylic acid groups, the copolyimides were synthesized from 2,2′-bis(3,4-dicarboxyphenyl)hexafluoropropane dianhydride (6FDA) and 4,4ʹ-hexafluoropropylidenebis(p-phenylenoxy)dianiline (6FPA) to form blocks of 6FDA:6FPA (n) and 6FDA:DABA (m) from m = 0–100 %. Flat films were prepared at 50 ± 3 µm with polyimides. In the thermogram of the flat films, a heat absorption zone associated with the decarboxylation reaction was identified with an endothermic minimum at 260 °C, which was assigned to the crosslinking temperature. Furthermore, heating time was varied for 3–36 h to determine the insolubility of the thermally crosslinked polyimide; from 24 h of heating the polyimide were insoluble. The polyimides were thoroughly characterized by ATR-FTIR, 1H NMR, TGA, SEM, the fractional free volume (FFV) was determined by the Bondi’s group contribution method and solubility to different organic solvents. The FFV of crosslinked polyimides increases relative to pristine polyimides by 2 % for those with higher DABA content and 40 % for those with lower DABA content. Finally, also the glass transition temperature increases in the crosslinked polyimides relative to the pristine ones from 280 °C for the lowest DABA content to 402 °C for the highest DABA content, demonstrating the increase in the thermal resistance of the structure.