Abstract
Novel polyimide-organosilicate hybrid films were prepared by sol–gel process from a novel functionalized polyimide with alkoxysilanes as pendant groups that increase the affinity between inorganic and organic phases. The synthesis of this functionalized polyimide was carried out by an esterification reaction of a copolyimide containing carboxylic acid groups with allyl alcohol and subsequent hydrosililation. Tetraethoxysilane was used as precursor of silica in different amounts to obtain hybrid membranes with a silica content of 5, 10 and 20 %. The polymers and hybrid membranes were structural, mechanical and thermally characterized. The 29Si-NMR solid state spectroscopy confirmed that silica was covalently bonded to the polyimide. SEM pictures showed a good dispersion of the silica particles and an amorphous morphology was observed by WAXS. DSC analyses revealed an increase in rigidity with the increase in silica content. The mechanical strength of the hybrid membranes decreased with the silica amount, exhibiting a brittle behavior. The evaluation of the gas permeation properties revealed that the film with the lowest silica content showed the highest permeability coefficients for O2, N2, CH4, and CO2 with 34, 8, 6, and 128 barrers respectively, while all hybrid membranes showed similar permselectivities around 4 and 22 for O2/N2 and CO2/CH4 respectively. The fractional free volume of hybrid membranes determined by positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy followed the same trend that permeability coefficients, confirming that the gas transport properties are mainly governed by the free volume elements.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Inoue T (1995) Reaction-induced phase decomposition in polymer blends. Prog Polym Sci 20:119–153
Brinker CJ, Scherer GW (1990) Sol–gel sciences. The physics and chemistry of sol–gel processing. Academic press, San Diego
Mascia L, Kioul A (1995) Influence of siloxane composition and morphology on properties of polyimide-silica hybrids. Polymer 36:3649–3659
Joseph J, Tseng CY, Pan CY, Chen HM, Lin CW, Pillai KC, Hwang BJ (2010) Growing well-defined monodispersed silica in polyimide host membranes using a surfactant assisted sol–gel process. Polymer 51:5663–5668
Shang XY, Zhu ZK, Yin J, Ma XD (2002) Compatibility of soluble polyimide/silica hybrids induced by a coupling agent. Chem Mater 14:71–77
Nandi M, Conklin JA, Salvati LJ, Sen A (1991) Molecular level ceramic/polymer composites. 2. Synthesis of polymer-trapped silica and titania nanoclusters. Chem Mater 3:201–206
Khalil M, Saeed S, Ahmad Z (2008) Mechanical and thermal properties of polyimide/silica hybrids with imide-modified silica network structures. Appl Polym Sci 107:1257–1268
Chiang TH, Liu SL, Lee SY, Hsieh TE (2009) Influence of acetic acid and ammonia catalyst on microstructure and properties of fluorinated polyimide–organosilicate hybrids. Thin Solid Films 517:6069–6075
Boroglu MS, Boz I, Gurkaynak MA (2006) Structural characterization of silica modified polyimide membranes. Polym Adv Technol 17:6–11
Son M, Han S, Han D, Kim Y, Lim J, Kim H, Ha CS (2008) Organic/inorganic hybrid composite films from polyimide and organosilica: effect of the type organosilica precursors. Polym Bull 60:713–723
Akhter T, Saeed S, Siddigi HS, Park OO (2012) Preparation and characterization of novel polyimide-silica hybrids. Polym Adv Technol 24:407–414
Chen Y, Iroh JO (1999) Synthesis and characterization of polyimide/silica hybrid composites. Chem Mater 11:1218–1222
Yu YY, Chien WC, Tsai TW (2010) High transparent soluble polyimide/silica hybrid optical thin films. Polym Test 29:33–40
Chen BK, Chiu TM, Tsay SY (2004) Synthesis and characterization of polyimide/silica hybrid nanocomposites. J Appl Polym Sci 94:382–393
Cornelius CJ, Marand E (2002) Hybrid silica-polyimide composite membranes: gas transport properties. Polymer 43:2385–2400
Didier B, Mercier R, Alberola ND, Bas C (2008) Preparation of polyimide/silica hybrid materials by sol–gel process under basic catalysis: comparison with acid conditions. J Polym Sci Part B 46:1891–1902
Didier B (2005) Thesis. Synthèse dùn matériau hybride polyimide/silice. Etude structure-porpertiétés. University de Savoi
Huertas RM, Doherty CM, Hill AJ, Lozano AE, de Abajo J, de la Campa JG, Maya EM (2012) Preparation and gas separation properties of partially pyrolyzed membranes (PPMs) derived from copolyimides containing polyethylene oxide side chains. J Membrane Sci 409–410:200–211
Kansy J (1996) Microcomputer program for analysis of positron annihilation lifetime spectra. Nucl Instrum Methods Phys Res 374:235–244
Tao SJ (1972) Positronium annihilation in molecular substances. J Chem Phys 56:5499–5510
Eldrup M, Lightbody DJ, Sherwood N (1981) The temperature dependence of positron lifetimes in solid pivalic acid. Chem Phys 63:51–58
Yampolskii Y, Shantarovich V (2006) Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy and other methods for free volume evaluation in polymers. In: Yampolskii Y, Pinnau I, Freeman BD (eds) Materials science of membranes for gas and vapor separation. Wiley, Chichester, pp 191–211
Maya EM, Lozano AE, de Abajo J, de la Campa JG (1997) Chemical modification of copolyimides with bulky pendent groups: effect of modification on solubility and thermal stability. Polym Degrad Stab 92:2294–2299
Lewis LN, Stein J, Gao Y, Colborn RE, Hutchins G (1997) Platinum catalyst used in silicones industry. Their synthesis and activity in hydrosilylation. Platin Met Rev 41:66–75
Mijatovic J, Binder WH, Gruber H (2000) Characterization of surface modified silica nanoparticles by 29Si solid state NMR spectroscopy. Microchim Acta 133:175–181
Velasco MJ, Rubio J, Oteo JL (2001) Estudio por espectroscopía infrarroja de la reacción de hidrólisis y policondensación del TEOS en presencia de PDMS. Bol Soc Esp Ceram Vidrio 40:37–42
Chiang TH, Liu S-L, Lee S-Y, Hsieh T-E (2008) Preparation, microstructure and property characterizations of fluorinated polyimide–organosilicate hybrids. Eur Polym J 44:3482–3492
Ogura K, Nakaoka K, Nakayama M, Kobayashi M, Fujii A (1999) Thermogravimetry/mass spectrometry of urease-immobilized sol–gel silica and the application of such a urease-modified electrode to the potentiometric determination of urea. Anal Chim Acta 384:219–225
Boroglu MS, Gurkaynak MA (2011) The preparation of novel modified polyimide membranes: synthesis, characterization and gas separation properties. Polym Adv Technol 22:545–553
Park HB, Kim JK, Nam SY, Lee YM (2003) Imide-siloxane block copolymer/silica hybrid membranes: preparation, characterization and gas separation properties. J Membr Sci 220:59–73
Joly C, Smaihi M, Porcar L, Noble RD (1999) Polyimide-silica composite materials: how does silica influence their microstructure and gas permeation properties. Chem Mater 11(9):2331–2338
Wang L, Tian Y, Ding H, Li J (2006) Microstructure and properties of organosoluble polyimide/silica hybrid films. Eur Polym J 42:2921–2930
Ragosta G, Musto P, Abbate M, Scarinzi G (2011) Compatibilizing polyimide/silica hybrids by alkoxisilane-terminated oligoimides: morphology–properties relationships. J Appl Polym Sci 121:2168–2186
Robeson LM (1991) Correlation of separation factor versus permeability for polymeric membranes. J Membr Sci 62:165–185
Robeson LM (2008) The upper bound revisited. J Membr Sci 320:390–400
Pethrick RA (1997) Positron annihilation—a probe for nanoscale void and free volume? Prog Polym Sci 22:1–47
Nagel C, Gunther-Schade K, Fritsch D, Strunskus T, Faupel F (2002) Free volume an gas transport properties in high selective polymer membranes. Macromolecules 35:2071–2077
Eastmond GC, Daly JH, Mckinnon AS, Pethrick RA (1999) Poly(ether imide)s: correlation of positron annihilation lifetime studies with polymer structure and gas permeability. Polymer 40:3605–3610
Alentiev AY, Yampolskii YP (2002) Meares equation and the role of cohesion energy density in diffusion in polymers. J Membr Sci 206:291–306
Acknowledgments
The financial support provided by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN) (Project MAT2010-20668) is gratefully acknowledged. A predoctoral JAE fellowship from the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) to R. M. Huertas is also acknowledged. The Office of the Chief Executive Science Team at CNRS is thanked for Science Leader support for sol–gel work as well CSIRO for the PALS work.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Huertas, R.M., Marestin, C., Mercier, R. et al. Polyimide-silica sol–gel membranes from a novel alkoxysilane functionalized polyimide: preparation, characterization and gas separation properties. J Sol-Gel Sci Technol 72, 464–479 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-014-3457-7
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-014-3457-7