Polyimide-b-polysiloxane Copolymers: Synthesis and Properties

This review discusses the synthesis, structure and properties of polyimide-b-polysiloxane copolymers. Polysiloxane modified polyimides has become an important class of materials over the past 20 years because of their ease of processing and interesting properties. Although polyimides are widely used in engineering applications because of their outstanding mechanical properties and thermal stability, their processability, toughness, and adhesion can be significantly enhanced by incorporation of polysiloxanes. The synthesis of polyimide-b-polysiloxane copolymers is performed by a one-step copolymerization method or a two-step method, resulting in a wide range structures and thermo-mechanical properties. The initial modulus and thermal stability of polyimide-b-linear polysiloxane copolymers can be further improved by copolymerization with ladder-like polysiloxanes which possess outstanding thermal stability and mechanical properties. The study of synthesis and properties of polyimide-b-polysiloxane copolymers is essential because it provides a useful insight into the processing-structure-property relationship.