Synthesis and Surface Characterization of Copoly(imide alkyl ether)s Containing Pendant Fluoroalkyl Groups

A series of copoly(imide alkyl ether)s were synthesized to explore surface migration of fluorinated alkyl ether blocks (AEFO)s. Mechanical and surface properties of solution cast, thermally imidized films were determined. Incorporation of the AEFO oligomers at loading levels up to 5 wt % resulted in a slight decrease (usually less than 10%) in tensile modulus. Surface migration of the AEFOs raised the advancing water contact angle from approximately 80 degrees to above 95 degrees for the copolymer systems. The composition at which addition of more AEFO further increased water contact angle values was related to the number of fluorine atoms in the perfluorinated side chains. Surface excess concentration of the AEFO at different loading levels was calculated from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results. At higher AEFO loading levels, the surface excess concentration was relatively constant suggesting formation of stable structures within the bulk similar to micelle formation in surfactant solutions. Based on these results, it was determined that surface saturation occurred with the fluorinated AEFO species at loading levels as low as 1 wt % engendering changes in surface properties while retaining the bulk imide properties. (c) 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 41538.