Synthesis and properties of poly(amide-imide)s based on 1,5-bis(4-trimellitimido)naphthalene

1,5-Bis(4-trimellitimido)naphthalene (II) was prepared by the condensation reaction of 1,5-naphthalenediamine and trimellitic anhydride. A series of aromatic poly(amide-imide)s (IV _a–o) was synthesized by the direct polycondensation of the diimide-diacid (II) and various aromatic diamines (III _a–o). The reaction utilized triphenyl phosphite and pyridine as condensing agents in the presence of calcium chloride in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP). The inherent viscosities of the resulting poly(amide-imide)s were in the range of 0.55∼1.39 dL/g. These polymers were generally soluble in polar solvents, such as N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc), NMP, N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). Flexible and tough poly(amide-imide) films were obtained by casting from a DMAc solution and had tensile strengths of 90∼145 MPa, elongations to break of 5∼13 %, and initial moduli of 2.29∼3.73 GPa. The glass transition temperatures of some poly(amide-imide)s were recorded in the range of 206∼218 °C, and most of the polymers did not show discernible glass transition on their DSC traces. The 10% weight loss temperatures were above 522 °C in nitrogen and above 474 °C in air atmosphere.