Polyimide nanocomposite with a hexadecylamine clay: Synthesis and characterization

A poly(amic acid) was prepared by the reaction of 3,3′‐dihydroxybenzidine and pyromellitic dianhydride in N,N‐dimethylacetamide. Hexadecylamine was used as an organophilic alkylamine in organoclay. Cast films were obtained from blend solutions of the precursor polymer and the organoclay. The cast film was heat treated at different temperatures to create polyimide (PI) hybrid films. We set out to clarify the intercalation of PI chains to hexadecylamine–montmorillonite (C16–MMT) and to improve thermal and tensile properties and the gas barrier. It was found that the addition of only a small amount of organoclay was enough to improve both the thermal and the mechanical properties of PIs. Maximum enhancement in the ultimate tensile strength for PI hybrids was observed for the blends containing 4% C16–MMT. The initial modulus monotonically increased with further increases in C16–MMT content. Water vapor permeability was decreased with increasing clay loading from 1 to 8 wt %. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 84: 2294–2301, 2002