Issue 3, 2019

Sub-10 nm domains in high-performance polyetherimides

Abstract

Dielectric polyetherimide (PEI) thin films require ultra-small air voids to reduce the dielectric constant and maintain the structural integrity. Conventional synthesis of dielectric PEI uses thermally labile high-molecular-weight polymers to create air voids. The air voids, however, range from hundreds of nanometers to several micrometers, which limits the use of PEI in ultrathin films. Herein we present the synthesis of polystyrene-b-polyetherimide-b-polystyrene (PS-b-PEI-b-PS) triblock copolymers with ultra-low molecular weights. The molecular weights of the thermally labile polystyrene (PS) blocks are controlled to be as low as 1.5 kDa. By tuning the molecular weight of the PEI block to be 8, 10, and 12 kDa, the volume fractions of PS are 30.4%, 26.4%, and 23.4%, respectively. The triblock copolymers exhibit PS nanostructures of <8 nm in size. Such small domains will potentially enable the preparation of ultra-small air voids in PEIs.

Graphical abstract: Sub-10 nm domains in high-performance polyetherimides

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
11 Oct 2018
Accepted
04 Dec 2018
First published
05 Dec 2018

Polym. Chem., 2019,10, 379-385

Author version available

Sub-10 nm domains in high-performance polyetherimides

D. Guo, A. U. Khan, T. Liu, Z. Zhou and G. Liu, Polym. Chem., 2019, 10, 379 DOI: 10.1039/C8PY01460D

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