Synthesis and characterization of an aromatic diamine and its polyimides containing asymmetric large side groups

Revolutionizing High-Temperature Electrical Properties of Epoxy Resin via Tailoring Weak Conjugation Rigid Structures

The escalating demand for high-power and compact-size advanced electronic devices and power systems necessitates polymers to exhibit superior electrical properties even under harsh environments. However, reconciling the seemingly contradictory attributes of excellent electrical properties and thermal stability poses a formidable challenge for current epoxy polymer (EP) materials and their applications. To meet the need, here two classes of bi-aryl diamine curing agents are described that enable polymers to exhibit well-balanced thermal and dielectric properties with functional bridging groups. A weak conjugation system in highly thermally stable polymers with an aromatic backbone is constructed, using electron-modulating bridging groups to immobilize intramolecular free carriers by tailoring trap sites, and bulky bridging groups to prevent molecular stacking to inhibit intermolecular charge transport. The resultant polymer exhibits a volume resistance of 7.45 × 1012 Ω m and a direct current breakdown strength of 368.74 kV mm-1 at 120 °C, which are 2.2 and 2.4 times higher than that of commercial anhydride-cured EP, respectively. It is demonstrated to be due to the inhibition of charge injection and transport. The proposed aromatic amine multimolecule approach, combined with diverse functional bridging groups, is a promising direction for exploring next-generation EP insulation materials suitable for extreme conditions.

Fluorinated Polyimide Tunneling Layer for Efficient and Stable Perovskite Photovoltaics

Despite the remarkable progress of perovskite solar cells (PSCs), challenges remain in terms of finding effective and viable strategies to enhance their long-term stability while maintaining high efficiency. In this study, a new insulating and hydrophobic fluorinated polyimide (FPI: 6FDA-6FAPB) was used as the interface layer between the perovskite layer and the hole transport layer (HTL) in PSCs. The functional groups of FPI play a pivotal role in passivating interface defects within the device. Due to its high work function, FPI demonstrates field-effect passivation (FEP) capabilities as an interface layer, effectively mitigating non-radiative recombination at the interface. Notably, the FPI insulating interface layer does not impede carrier transmission at the interface, which is attributed to the presence of hole tunneling effects. The optimized PSCs achieve an outstanding power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 24.61 % and demonstrate excellent stability, showcasing the efficacy of FPI in enhancing device performance and reliability.

Synthesis and memory properties of a series of novel asymmetric soluble polyimides

Two asymmetric diamines [1,1′-biphenyl]-4-yl(3,5-diaminophenyl) methanone (BPDAM) and (3,5-diaminophenyl)(4′-(naphthalen-1-yl)-[1,1′-biphenyl]-4-yl) methanone(DANPBPM) were synthesized by Suzuki coupling reaction from (4-bromophenyl)(3,5-diaminophenyl) methanone (BDAM) and corresponding arylboronic acid. A series of polyimides exhibiting organic solubility were prepared from 2,2′,3,3′-biphenyl tetracarboxylic dianhydride(BPDA) and these above three new diamines via a two-stage process. The obtained polymers showed outstanding organic solubility and high thermal stability. And studies have shown that the storage device with a sandwich type configuration of Al/polyimide/ITO was prepared by the traditional liquid spin coating technology, which showed the storage capacity of flash memory type. All the polyimide-based devices showed bistable conductivity switching and nonvolatile memory behavior that had long preservation period and high ON/OFF electric current, the rate of which was 104.

Simultaneously Improving the Optical, Dielectric, and Solubility Properties of Fluorene-Based Polyimide with Silyl Ether Side Groups

Three fluorene-based polyimides with silyl ether groups (Si-PIs) were successfully synthesized by a simple and efficient silicon etherification reaction of hydroxyl-containing polyimides (OH-PIs) and tert-butylchlorodiphenylsilane (TBDPSCl), and their structures were confirmed by ¹H NMR and IR spectra. The bulky nonpolar tert-butyldiphenylsilyl (TBDPS) side groups in the modified PI unit instead of the strong electron donor -OH group is conducive to decreasing electronic conjugation and charge transfer (CT) interaction along the PI chain. Accordingly, the optical, dielectric, and solubility properties of the modified Si-PI films are simultaneously improved compared with the precursor OH-PI films. The modified Si-PI films demonstrate a meaningful enhancement in the transmittances at a wavelength of 400 nm (T ₄₀₀ ) to 74-81% from 42 to 55% of OH-PI films and the regeneration of fluorescence characteristics. The dielectric constant and loss of Si-PI films are also obviously reduced to 2.63-2.75 and 0.0024-0.0091 at 1 kHz from 4.19 to 4.78 and 0.0173-0.0295 of OH-PI films, respectively, due to substituted with the bulky nonpolar TBDPS groups to increase the free volume and hydrophobicity of Si-PI films. The solubility of Si-PIs in low- or nonpolar solvents (such as CHCl₃, CH₂Cl₂, acetone, and toluene) is significantly improved. Furthermore, Si-PI films still maintain relatively good thermal properties with the 5% weight loss temperature (T _5% ) in the range 470-491 °C under a nitrogen atmosphere and the glass transition temperature (T _g ) in the range 245-308 °C.

Durable crosslinked films based on poly (arylene ether nitrile) materials for ultrahigh temperature applications over 300°C

Searching for outstanding films with high temperature resistance has sparked fierce interests in the electronics industry. In this study, a novel high-temperature-resistance phthalonitrile end-capped polyarylene ether nitrile (HTR-PEN-Ph) film was fabricated via cross-linking reaction, applying two different curing programs as contrast. The fabricated HTR-PEN-Ph films were verified through FTIR, gel content test to be confirmed the cross-linking reaction. Then thermal results elucidated that PEN-Ph films treated with two-stage curing program possessed a superior glass transition temperature ( T g) in comparison with untreated one, increasing by 165–270°C. Besides, an evident increment of 5 wt.% decomposition temperature ( T 5%) was seen from the HTR-PEN-Ph film, which was 27–43°C higher than the untreated one. Furthermore, the HTR-PEN-Ph films exhibited notable dielectric stability over 300°C and mechanical properties after the two-stage curing program. Based on these satisfactory results, this study is of great potential to be applied in the field of industrial manufacture to fabricate a range of high-performance films.

Solubility, thermal and photoluminescence properties of triphenyl imidazole-containing polyimides

In this paper, three kinds of triphenyl imidazole-containing diamines including 2-phenyl-4,5-bis(4-(4-amino-2-trifluoromethylphenoxy)phenyl)imidazole (PBAI), 2-(4-methylphenyl)-4,5-bis(4-(4-amino-2-trifluoromethyl phenoxy)phenyl)imidazole (MPBAI) and 2-(4-trifluoromethylphenyl)-4,5-bis(4-(4-amino-2-trifluoromethylphenoxy)phenyl)imidazole (TFPBAI) were synthesized. Then, a series of polyimide (PI) films were prepared by the solution polymerization of the three diamines and various dianhydrides, such as 4,4′-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphthalic anhydride (6FDA), 1,2,4,5-pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) and 1,2,3,4-cyclobutanetetracarboxylic dianhydride (CBDA), followed by thermal imidization. The effects of chemical structures on the solubilities and thermal, optical and electrochemical properties of polyimides were explored. All the polyimides exhibited higher glass transition temperatures around 300 °C and excellent solubilities in common polar solvents. The polyimide films derived from CBDA or 6FDA showed better optical properties with light color and transparent characteristics. The fluorescence test showed that the photoluminescence color of CBDA-based polyimide films is in the blue range in the CIE 1931 spectrum, while the polyimide film based on PMDA and 6FDA presented black or weak yellow light. However, all these polyimides in solution exhibited similar blue luminescence. Electrochemical tests indicated that the HOMO and LUMO values of these films were around −6.5 and −3.6 eV, and the energy gap difference was about 3.0 eV. Therefore, the triphenyl imidazole-containing polyimides exhibit comprehensive performance, which will be expected as a new kind of functional material for certain application in the optical and optoelectronics fields.

The triphenyl imidazole-containing polyimide films exhibit excellent solubility and thermal and photoluminescence properties.

New Poly(imide)s Bearing Alkyl Side-Chains: A Study on the Impact of Size and Shape of Lateral Groups on Thermal, Mechanical, and Gas Transport Properties

A set of five new aromatic poly(imide)s (PIs) incorporating pendant acyclic alkyl moieties were synthesized. The difference among them was the length and bulkiness of the pendant group, which comprises of linear alkyl chains from three to six carbon atoms, and a tert-butyl moiety. The effect of the side group length on the physical, thermal, mechanical, and gas transport properties was analyzed. All PIs exhibited low to moderate molecular weights (Mn ranged between 27.930–58.970 Da, and Mw ranged between 41.760–81.310 Da), good solubility in aprotic polar solvents, except for PI-t-4, which had a tert-butyl moiety and was soluble even in chloroform. This behaviour was probably due to the most significant bulkiness of the side group that increased the interchain distance, which was corroborated by the X-ray technique (PI-t-4 showed two d-spacing values: 5.1 and 14.3 Å). Pure gas permeabilities for several gases were reported (PI-3 (Barrer): He(52); H₂(46); O₂(5.4); N₂(1.2); CH₄(1.1); CO₂(23); PI-t-4 (Barrer): He(139); H₂(136); O₂(16.7); N₂(3.3); CH₄(2.3); CO₂(75); PI-5 (Barrer): He(44); H₂(42); O₂(5.9); N₂(1.4); CH₄(1.2); CO₂(27); PI-6 (Barrer): He(45); H₂(43); O₂(6.7); N₂(1.7); CH₄(1.7); CO₂(32)). Consistent higher volume in the side group was shown to yield the highest gas permeability. All poly(imide)s exhibited high thermal stability with 10% weight loss degradation temperature between 448–468 °C and glass transition temperature between 240–270 °C. The values associated to the tensile strength (45–87 MPa), elongation at break (3.2–11.98%), and tensile modulus (1.43–2.19 GPa) were those expected for aromatic poly(imide)s.