Triptycene poly(ether-imide)s with high solubility and optical transparency

A series of new poly(ether-imide)s containing three-dimensional triptycene moieties were prepared from 1,4-bis(3,4-dicarboxyphenoxy)triptycene dianhydride with various aromatic diamines via a conventional two-stage process. The inherent viscosities of the amic acid pre-polymers were in the range of 0.44 similar to 0.91 dL/g. Most of the resulting poly(ether-imide) s presented good solubility in many organic solvents and could be solution-cast into transparent and strong films. They also showed good thermal stability with glass-transition temperatures of 238 similar to 302 degrees C and 10% weight loss temperatures in excess of 572 degrees C. These triptycene-based poly(ether-imide) s showed enhanced optical transparency, decreased color intensity and lowered dielectric constants as compared to conventional aromatic polyimides. The poly(ether-imide) s derived from trifluoromethyl-containing bis(ether amine) s could afford highly optically transparent and almost colorless films.