High Performance Polyimide Foams

Abstract

Aromatic polyimides have been attractive for applications in the aerospace and electronics industries. Unique properties such as thermal and thermo-oxidative stability at elevated temperatures, chemical resistance, and mechanical properties are common for this class of materials.1 Newer to the arena of polyimides is the synthesis of polyimide foams.2 In the present work, three different, closely related, polyimide foams are comparatively studied, including thermal, mechanical, surface, flammability, and degradation properties. In previous studies, the data relate to films3 and not foams. Foams have much higher surface areas and are a greater challenge to fire retard. Understanding degradation and properties versus structure, foam versus solid, is of interest. Data indicate that subtle differences in chemical structure result in large differences in surface area, which further result in large differences in heat release and other flammability properties.