Structures and Properties of Polyimide with Different Pre-imidization Degrees

A series of polyimide (PI) films derived from pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) and 4,4 '-oxydianiline (ODA) were prepared with the employment of chemical pre-imidization, and the pre-imidization degree (pre-ID) was found influential on structures and properties of the films obtained. Specifically, a certain degree of chemical imidization could promote the in-plane orientation of molecular chains inside the film, which then enhanced the mechanical strength and reduced the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the films. Further, such pre-imidization process could expand the internal space gap inside the films, thereby lowering their dielectric constant and glass transition temperature. Our study provides a new approach for preparing high-performance PI films through chemical imidization.