Premium
Transparent polyimide nanocomposites with improved moisture barrier using graphene
Author(s) -
Tsai MeiHui,
Tseng IHsiang,
Liao YuFu,
Chiang JenChi
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
polymer international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.592
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1097-0126
pISSN - 0959-8103
DOI - 10.1002/pi.4421
Subject(s) - polyimide , nanocomposite , materials science , thermal stability , graphene , chemical engineering , polymer chemistry , composite material , layer (electronics) , nanotechnology , engineering
A facile technique was developed to improve the water barrier properties of transparent polyimide ( PI ) films. Transparent and organo‐soluble PI films were synthesized from an alicyclic tetracarboxylic dianhydride (bicyclo[2.2.2]oct‐7‐ene‐2,3,5,6‐tetracarboxylic dianhydride) and an aromatic diamine (3,4′‐oxydianiline) in a co‐solvent of dimethylacetamide ( DMAc ) and γ ‐butyrolactone via a one‐step process. Thermally reduced graphene ( RG ) was then blended with the PI in DMAc solution to fabricate PI / RG nanocomposite films without the addition of coupling agent. With the incorporation of only 0.1 wt% highly exfoliated RG in the PI matrix, the resultant PI / RG ‐0.1 nanocomposite exhibited a superior barrier to moisture and retained high transmittance in the visible light region. The surface of PI / RG was more hydrophobic than that of pure PI and simultaneously the water vapor transmission rate was significantly reduced to 13 g m −2 day −1 for the PI / RG ‐0.1 nanocomposite compared to 181 g m −2 day −1 for pure PI . Notably, the PI / RG ‐0.1 nanocomposite also exhibited favorable thermal stability with a lower coefficient of thermal expansion and a higher thermal degradation temperature compared to pure PI . The easy processing of PI solution and RG nanosheets, the good orientation of RG in PI and the excellent barrier and thermal properties of PI / RG make the transparent PI nanocomposite films potential substrate materials in flexible electronic applications .