Structure and properties of novel PMDA/ODA/PABZ polyimide fibers

A series of random copolyamic acid were synthesized from various ratios of two diamines 4, 4′‐oxydianiline (ODA) and 2‐(4‐aminophenyl)‐5‐aminobenzimidazole (PABZ) by polycondensation with pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) in N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (NMP). Their inherent viscosities were in the range of 1.89–2.91 dl/g. The polyamic acid (PAA) solution drops were spun into fibers by the wet spinning process. The polyimide (PI) fibers were obtained from PAA fibers after drawn and treated in heating tube. The fibers were characterized by fourier transform infrared (FTIR), wide X‐ray diffraction (WAXD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), thermal gravimetry analysis (TGA), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and tensile testing. WAXD showed these PI fibers were basically amorphous. The tensile strength and initial modulus of the PI fiber reached 1.53 and 220.5 GPa when diamine ratio of PABZ/ODA was 7/3, which were almost three times and 30 times over that of the PMDA/ODA PI fibers. TGA showed that the PI fibers were thermally stable with 10% weight losses recorded in the range of 492–564°C under nitrogen atmosphere, and their glass transition temperature (Tg) were found to be 410–440°C by DMA with increasing PABZ content from 30 to 70%. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers