| abstract |
Disclosed herein is a polyimide composite material which comprises a polyimide-containing resin and a layered clay mineral which is intercalated with organic onium ions and dispersed in the polyimide. Owing to the intercalated clay mineral, the composite material has improved gas and water vapor barrier properties and a small thermal expansion coefficient. Disclosed also herein is a process for producing a polyimide composite material which comprises the steps of intercalating a layered clay mineral with organic onium ions, adding by mixing the intercalated clay mineral to a solution of a monomer or prepolymer for polyimide, removing the solvent, and forming a polyimide. This process makes the layered clay mineral miscible with and dispersible in polyimide. |