Synthesis,characterization, and gas permeability of aromatic polyimides containing pendant phenoxy group

A diamine containing a pendant phenoxy group, 1-phenoxy-2,4-diaminobenzene, was synthesized and condensed with different aromatic dianhydrides [4,4′-oxydiphthalic dianhydride, 4,4′-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphthalic anhydride, 3,3′,4,4′-benzophenone tetracarboxylic dianhydride, 3,3′,4,4′-biphenyltetracorboxylic dianhydride, and pyromellitic dianhydride] by one-step synthesis at a high temperature in m-cresol to obtain polyimides in high yields. Most of the polyimides exhibited good solvent solubility and could be readily dissolved in chloroform, sym-tetrachloroethane, N,N-dimethylformamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide, and nitrobenzene. Their inherent viscosities were in the range of 0.33–1.16 dL/g. Wide-angle X-ray spectra revealed that these polymers were amorphous in nature. All these polyimides were thermally stable, having initial decomposition temperatures above 500°C and glass-transition temperatures in the range of 248–281°C. The gas permeability of 4,4′-oxydiphthalic dianhydride and 4,4′-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphthalic anhydride based polyimides was investigated with pure gases: He, H₂, O₂, Ar, N₂, CH₄, and CO₂. A polyimide containing a  C(CF₃)₂ linkage showed a good combination of permeability and selectivity. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2008