Preparation and characterization of polyimide/pure silica zeolite hybrid films

In this study, amino derivative of pure silica zeolite nanocrystal (A-PSZN) was dispersed into polyimide (PI) matrix to prepare PI/A-PSZN hybrid films, and their thermal and mechanical properties, as well as hydrophobicity, were characterized scientifically. The test results show that PI/A-PSZN hybrid films possess higher glass transition temperature, higher thermal stability and lower in-plane coefficient of thermal expansion than pristine PI. The mechanical property data suggest that the incorporation of A-PSZN results in an increase in Young's modulus and tensile strength of the hybrid films, but as its content exceeds the critical value (maybe 5wt%), its enhancement effect on the hybrid's strength and toughness gets weaker. Furthermore, liquid dripping imaging analysis results indicate that the film's hydrophobicity is clearly improved by the introduction of A-PSZN. As compared with PSZN, A-PSZN exhibits better effect on enhancing the overall performance of pristine PI films. A comparison with other studies suggests that PI/A-PSZN is a hybrid film with superior comprehensive properties. Copyright (c) 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.