Investigation of Polymer Liquid Crystals

The positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) using a low energy flux generator may provide a reasonably accurate technique for measuring molecular weights of linear polymers and characterization of thin polyimide films in terms of their dielectric constants and hydrophobity etc. Among the tested samples are glassy poly arylene Ether Ketone films, epoxy and other polyimide films. One of the proposed techniques relates the free volume cell size (V(sub f)) with sample molecular weight (M) in a manner remarkably similar to that obtained by Mark Houwink (M-H) between the inherent viscosity (eta) and molecular wieght of polymer solution. The PALS has also demonstrated that free-volume cell size in thermoset is a versatile, useful parameter that relates directly to the polymer segmental molecular weight, the cross-link density, and the coefficient of thermal expansion. Thus, a determination of free volume cell size provides a viable basis for complete microstructural characterization of thermoset polyimides and also gives direct information about the cross-link density and coefficient of expansion of the test samples. Seven areas of the research conducted are reported here.