Catalysis and Inhibition of Benzimidazole Units on Thermal Imidization of Poly(amic acid) via Hydrogen Bonding Interactions

The effect of benzimidazole units on thermal imidizaiton was studied when they were introduced into the main chain of poly(amic acid)(PAA). The thermal imidization process of PAA-PABZ synthesized by 3,3’,4,4’-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride(BPDA) and 2-(4-aminophenyl)-5(6)-aminobenzimidazole(PABZ) was studied by TGA, DSC, DMA, FTIR and in situ FTIR. The results of FTIR and in situ FTIR indicate benzimidazole units act as an "in situ" catalyst to accelerate thermal imidization of PAA to polyimide(PI) when the temperature is lower than 170 °C. FTIR and 1H-NMR results demonstrate that in situ catalysis is caused by the hydrogen bonding interactions between C=N of benzimidazole and ―NH― in ―CONH― of PAA and the semi-ionization of the H in imidazole ring of benzimidazole. However, when the imidization temperature is higher than 170 °C, the thermal imidization process is inhibited. DMA and in situ FTIR results illustrate that the decreased mobility of PI-PABZ macromolecular chains and the reduced reactive ability of anhydride formed during the intramolecular breakdown of polymer chains lead to the inhibition of thermal imidization process.