Photodegradation of polyimides. IV: Mechanism for the photo-oxidation process based on a model compound

Based on analysis of the photochemistry of a model compound, N-phenylphthalimide, the photolysis of a polyimide derived from 4,4'-oxydianiline (ODA) and a diarylanhydride with a hexafluorinated isopropylidine bridging group (6F) is proposed to proceed via formation of a phthalic anhydride type photoproduct. The quantum yield for product formation of N-phenylphthalimide is quite low ( < 10 exp --3 ) indicating a rather inefficient first step in the overall oxidative degradation process. However, based on the efficiency of the photo-oxidation of the primary photoproducts, a process leading to the ultimate failure and complete ablation of the 6F-ODA films in air upon exposure to the unfiltered output of a Hg lamp is postulated.