Effect of Thermal Imidization and Curing on Fluorescence Behavior of a Phenylethynyl-Terminated Poly(amic acid)

The imidization and cure reaction of a thermosetting phenylethynyl-terminated amic acid (LaRC PETI-5) in film form have been monitored as a function of temperature by means of a steady-state fluorescence technique using a front-face illumination method. The variation of the fluorescence emission spectra of LaRC PETI-5 can be divided into four temperature regions; Region I: below 15$0^{\circ}C$, Region II: 150-25$0^{\circ}C$, Region III: 250-35$0^{\circ}C$, and Region IV: above 35$0^{\circ}C$. The fluorescence spectra in Region I are largely influenced by residual N-methyl-2pyrrolidinone in the polymer and also slightly by partial imidization of the polymer. There is a combined effect of imidization and solvent removal on the fluorescence behavior in Region II. The spectra in Regions III and IV are due significantly to the cure reaction of LaRC PETI-5 and to a post-cure effect of the polyimide, respectively. This spectroscopic evidence indicating the transformation of the amic acid imide oligomer into the corresponding polyimide via imidization and cure, agrees well with thermal analysis results obtained previously. The intermediate stage of cure in the range of 250-30$0^{\circ}C$ predominantly influences the change of the fluorescence intensity. The later stage above 30$0^{\circ}C$ significantly influences the position of the spectrum. This fluorescence study also supports the mechanism proposed in earlier work that the crosslinking reaction takes place at the reaction sites in the conjugated polyene and the phenylethynyl end group in the polyimide chain.