Back to results

Virginia Tech

Synthesis and characterization of high Tg nanofoams based on pyromellitic dianhydride and 1,1-bis(4-aminophenyl)-1-phenyl-2,2,2-trifluoroethane polyimide block and graft copolymers

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Thermally stable polyimide block and graft copolymers with labile con1ponents (especially polypropylene oxide), have been prepared and investigated as low dielectric materials that afford desirable thermal, mechanical and electrical properties. Polyimide nanofoams based upon the controlled pyrolysis of the labile component were prepared. The methodology for producing the nanofoams was to first spin cast well-designed microphase separated graft or block copolymer solutions comprised of the thermally stable 1,1-Bis(4-aminophenyl)-1-phenyl-2,2,2-trifluoroethane (3FDA)/pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) based polyimide main chain and polypropylene oxide based thermally labile graft of block copolymers. The thermally stable material was designed to be the continuous phase, and the unstable moiety served as the dispersed phase so that closed cell structures could be obtained. Upon thermal treatment under inert atmosphere, the materials can be spun cast and cured in place, if so desired. However, if the polymers are exposed to the oxygen atmosphere, the unstable component can be selectively degraded, generating micropores that are related to the size of the initial microphase separated copolymer morphology. The copolymer synthesis was conducted through the poly(amic acid) precursor and subsequent cyclodehydration to the polyimide, usually by chemical imidization. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMTA) confirmed microphase separated morphology for all the copolymers. Upon degradation of poly(propylene oxide), a 13-18% reduction in the density was observed, which is consistent with foam generation. These features have been confirmed using small angle X-ray analysis (SAXS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The pores ranged from 100-250°A in size from TEM, and were stable up to nearly the polyimide Tg (~400°C), Related efforts demonstrated that it was possible to introduce ethynyl containing terminal groups, in order to develop crosslinked polyimide foams with better chemical resistance. In addition to the propylene oxide labile components, poly(methyl methacrylate) and polyethylene oxide were also investigated. Macromonomers were synthesized via group transfer polymerization, followed by a derivatization to produce appropriately reactive diamino aryl terminal oligomer. Surprisingly, the poly(methyl methacrylate) component was found to be miscible with 3FDA/PMDA based polyimide. Indeed, even physical blends of the two homopolymers appear to be miscible. Polyethylene oxide has also been tried as a labile block for the generation of polyimide nanofoams, with only limited success. The optimum resulting materials are of considerable further interest for electronic packaging applications where air is utilized as a component to reduce the dielectric constant.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Ph. D.
Level thesis:degree_level
doctoral
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Chemistry
Department dc:contributor.department
Chemistry
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
1995

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Jayaraman, Saikumar
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • McGrath, James E.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Gibson, Harry W.
  • Marand, Hervé L.
  • Riffle, Judy S.
  • Goldfarb, Ivan J.

Subjects

dc:subject × 3

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright
Language dc:language.iso
en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-05222007-091419
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/37901

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Jayaraman, Saikumar. Synthesis and characterization of high Tg nanofoams based on pyromellitic dianhydride and 1,1-bis(4-aminophenyl)-1-phenyl-2,2,2-trifluoroethane polyimide block and graft copolymers. doctoral thesis, Virginia Tech, 1995. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/37901