Polyimides reactions

The combination of these two polymers up until quite recently, however, has not been an entirely successful scientific endeavor. This has been caused by problems of miscibility resulting primarily from solvent removal. However, recent developments in the synthesis of polyimides and epoxies and a better understanding of epoxy and polyimide reaction kinetics has made it a possibility that these two versatile polymers (Table 1) can be combined to form composites having exceptional properties. 

Figure 3.10 Polyimide reactions (a) preparation of polyimide precursors (b) curing of poly-imides by imidization.

This polymerization is carried out in the two stages indicated above precisely because of the insolubility and infusibility of the final product. The first-stage polyamide, structure [IX], is prepared in polar solvents and at relatively low temperatures, say, 70°C or less. The intermediate is then introduced to the intended application-for example, a coating or lamination-then the second-stage cyclization is carried out at temperatures in the range 150-300°C. Note the formation of five-membered rings in the formation of the polyimide, structure [X], and also that the proportion of acid to amine groups is 2 1 for reaction (5.II). 

Polyimides for use ia molded products and high temperature films can be produced by the reaction of pyromelHtic dianhydride [89-32-7] and 4,4 -diaminodiphenyl ether [13174-32-8] ia DMAC to form a polyamide that can be converted iato a polyimide (13). DMAC can also be used as a spinning solvent for polyimides. AdditionaUy, polymers containing over 50% vinyHdene chloride are soluble up to 20% at elevated temperatures ia DMAC. Such solutions are useful ia preparing fibers (14). 

Synthesis and Properties. Several methods have been suggested to synthesize polyimides. The predominant one involves a two-step condensation reaction between aromatic diamines and aromatic dianhydrides in polar aprotic solvents (2,3). In the first step, a soluble, linear poly(amic acid) results, which in the second step undergoes cyclodehydration, leading to an insoluble and infusible PL Overall yields are generally only 70—80%. 

Carboxyhc acids react with aryl isocyanates, at elevated temperatures to yield anhydrides. The anhydrides subsequently evolve carbon dioxide to yield amines at elevated temperatures (70—72). The aromatic amines are further converted into amides by reaction with excess anhydride. Ortho diacids, such as phthahc acid [88-99-3J, react with aryl isocyanates to yield the corresponding A/-aryl phthalimides (73). Reactions with carboxyhc acids are irreversible and commercially used to prepare polyamides and polyimides, two classes of high performance polymers for high temperature appHcations where chemical resistance is important. Base catalysis is recommended to reduce the formation of substituted urea by-products (74). 

The reactions of primary amines and maleic anhydride yield amic acids that can be dehydrated to imides, polyimides (qv), or isoimides depending on the reaction conditions (35—37). However, these products require multistep processes. Pathways with favorable economics are difficult to achieve. Amines and pyridines decompose maleic anhydride, often ia a violent reaction. Carbon dioxide [124-38-9] is a typical end product for this exothermic reaction (38). 

The two-step poly(amic acid) process is the most commonly practiced procedure. In this process, a dianhydride and a diamine react at ambient temperature in a dipolar aprotic solvent such as /V,/V-dimethy1 acetamide [127-19-5] (DMAc) or /V-methy1pyrro1idinone [872-50-4] (NMP) to form apoly(amic acid), which is then cycHzed into the polyimide product. The reaction of pyromeUitic dianhydride [26265-89-4] (PMDA) and 4,4 -oxydiani1ine [101-80-4] (ODA) proceeds rapidly at room temperature to form a viscous solution of poly(amic acid) (5), which is an ortho-carboxylated aromatic polyamide. 

Polymerization by Transimidization Reaction. Exchange polymerization via equihbrium reactions is commonly practiced for the preparation of polyesters and polycarbonates. The two-step transimidization polymerization of polyimides was described in an early patent (65). The reaction of pyromellitic diimide with diamines in dipolar solvents resulted in poly(amic amide)s that were thermally converted to the polyimides. High molecular weight polyimides were obtained by employing a more reactive bisimide system (66). The intermediate poly(amic ethylcarboamide) was converted to the polyimide at 240°C. 

Polymerization by G—G Goupling. An aromatic carbon—carbon coupling reaction has been employed for the synthesis of rigid rod-like polyimides from imide-containing dibromo compounds and aromatic diboronic acids ia the presence of palladium catalyst, Pd[P(CgH )2]4 (79,80). 

The reaction product of 4,4 -bismaleimidodiphenylmethane and 4,4 -diaminophenylmethane, known as Kerimide 601 [9063-71-2] is prepolymerized to such an extent that the resulting prepolymer is soluble in aprotic solvents such as /V-methy1pyrro1idinone [872-50-4] dimethylformamide [68-12-2] and the like, and therefore can be processed via solution techniques to prepreg. Kerim ide 601 is mainly used in glass fabric laminates for electrical appHcations and became the industry standard for polyimide-based printed circuit boards (32). 

An interesting approach to thermosetting acetylene-terminated polyimides via the Michael addition reaction has appeared (38). Acetylene-terminated aspartimides are readily prepared ia high yield via two routes, shown ia Figure 7. 

Diels-AIder Copolymers. The Diels-Alder reaction can also be employed to obtain thermosetting polyimides. If bismaleimide (the bisdienophile) and the bisdiene react nonstoichiometricaHy, with bismaleimide in excess, a prepolymer carrying maleimide terminations is formed as an intermediate, which can then be cross-linked to yield a temperature-resistant network. 

Aromatic polyimides are generally produced by the reaction of aromatic dianhydrides with aromatic diamines to yield a material with the general stmcture... 

The polyimide shown is a tme thermosetting resin, but the general reaction procedure, coupling the dianhydride with the diamine, is extremely important throughout polyimide chemistry. The intermediate polyamic acid polymers form the basis for many of the polyimide resins used in advanced composites. 

Often the substitution of fluorine atoms for hydrogen atoms in a polymer chain markedly increases the thermal stabiUty of the base polymer this is tme for polyimides. A typical fluorinated polyimide is prepared from the reaction of 2,2-bis(3,4-dicarboxyphenyl)hexafluoropropane dianhydride and 2,2-bis-(4-amino phenyl)hexafluoropropane according to the following reaction (36) ... 

Additive Polyimides. Rhc ne-Poulenc s Kin el molding compound and Kerimid impregnating resin (115), Mitsubishi s BT Resins (116), and Toshiba s Imidaloy Resin (117) are based on bismaleimide (4) technology. Maleic anhydride reacts with a diamine to produce a diimide oligomer (7). Eurther reaction with additional diamine (Michael addition) yields polyaminohismaleimide prepolymer with terminal maleic anhydride double bonds. Cure is achieved by free-radical polymerization through the terminal double bonds. 

After deposition of 0.5 nm of copper onto plasma modified polyimide, the peaks due to carbon atoms C8 and C9 and the oxygen atoms 03 and 04 were reduced in intensity, indicating that new states formed by the plasma treatment were involved in formation of copper-polyimide bonds instead of the remaining intact carbonyl groups. Fig. 28 shows the proposed reaction mechanism between copper and polyimide after mild plasma treatment. 

Fig. 27. Proposed mechanism for reaction of copper with untreated PMDA/ODA polyimide. Reproduced by permission of John Wiley and Sons from Ref. [33].

After metallization of the plasma-modified polyimide, there were a number of peaks in the TOF-SIMS spectra that confirmed the existence of Cu-N bonds as required by the proposed reaction mechanism (see Fig. 28). The most significant... 

Tan et al. investigated polymers made from bis-benzocyclobutenes [13-15]. As the benzocyclobutane is analogous to tbe dien, tbe Diels-Alder addition takes place. This reaction is applied to the preparation of polyimides. The advantage of this system is that the resultant polymer is oxidized to form thermally stable aromatic polyimides (Fig. 7). 

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