MORPHOLOGY OF PAI AND PA-PDMS COMPOSITES MADE BY SOL-GEL PROCESS

PA-PDMS (polyamide-polydimethylsiloxane) composites and PAI-PDMS (polyamidimide-polydimethylsiloxane) composites were prepared and investigated. The results of TEM (transmission electron microscopy) analysis showed that the difference in opaqueness was the result of different particle sizes in each composite. The PDMS particle size in the PA-PDMS composite was on a mu-scale, while that of the PAI-PDMS composite was roughly on a nm scale. Opaque composites are p-composites while transparent composites are nano-composites. The results of the AFM (atomic force microscopy) analysis showed that PDMS particles larger than 2.5 mu m were spread out on the surface of the PA matrix. An increase in the PDMS content of PA-PDMS composites resulted in decreased water absorption, from 11% to 6%. The water absorption of PAI-PDMS composites also decreased from 6% to 4% as the PDMS content increased.