Organic-inorganic hybrids containing polyimide, organically modified clay and in situ formed polydimethylsiloxane

A series of organic-inorganic hybrid consisting of polyimide (PI) prepared from pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) and 4,4′-oxydianiline (ODA), organically modified montmorillonite (OMMT) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) were successfully prepared by in situ sol-gel process. OMMT was prepared by surface treatment of montmorillonite (MMT) with hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that the OMMT layers were exfoliated into the polymer matrix at 2% of OMMT content. The PI-OMMT-PDMS hybrids at 2% of OMMT content were transparent when PDMS content was less than 5%. The PI-OMMT-PDMS hybrid showed better tensile modulus, strength and elongation at break than that of pristine PI due to the reinforcement effect of OMMT and toughening effect of PDMS. The thermal stability of hybrids such as the decomposition temperature and weight residue at 800 °C also increased with the increase of PDMS content as evidenced by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).