Synthesis and Thermal Curing of Aryl-Ethynyl-Terminated coPOSS Imide Oligomers:  New Inorganic/Organic Hybrid Resins

A new bis(amino)-functionalized POSS monomer was prepared and characterized with the formula diexo -( c -C 5 H 9 ) 8 Si 8 O 11 ( p -C 6 H 4 NH 2 ) 2 . The new POSS monomer (1−10 mol %) along with diamines 1,3-bis(3-aminophenoxy)benzene (APB) and 3,4‘-oxydianiline (ODA) and were copolymerized with 4,4‘-oxydiphthalic anhydride (ODPA) and two reactive end-caps, 4-(arylethynyl)phthalic anhydride {where aryl = phenyl and 9-anthracenyl} to afford a series of new inorganic/organic imide oligomers. The oligomers containing 1% and 10% POSS gave similar T g data (≈191 and 203 °C) as the pure organic imide oligomers and were shown to thermally cure to afford solvent-resistant and high T g resins. The thermal curing kinetic data for the 10%-POSS-containing imide was obtained. The kinetic data showed the rate of thermal curing to be unaffected (within experimental deviation) by the addition of the POSS units.