Preparation and Characterization of Novel Polyimide/SiO2 Nano-hybrid Films by In Situ Polymerization

A silicon-based aromatic polyimide (PI) containing pendent aryl rings was synthesized by solution polycondensation of a silicon-containing diamine with 4,4′-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphthalic anhydride. Its nano-hybrids with different colloidal SiO₂ concentrations were synthesized by in situ polymerization. The reactions were carried out in presence of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane as a coupling agent. The inclusion of the coupling agent in the polymer chain and its co-condensation with SiO₂ nanoparticles afforded a silica network that was interconnected chemically with the PI matrix. The chemical structure of the hybrid materials was analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The morphology of the hybrid films and the surface roughness were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The results indicated that nanometer-scale inorganic particles were homogeneously dispersed throughout the PI matrix with 50–70 nm size range. The best results and favorable miscibility between polymer and silica phases in the nano-hybrids were obtained when up to 40 wt% nanoparticles were introduced into the backbone of PI matrix.