12 - High performance polyimide fibers

Abstract

High-performance aromatic polyimide (PI) fibers are considered as one of the most promising engineering materials in the class of polymeric fibers because of their excellent mechanical properties, superior chemical and radiation resistance, outstanding thermal-oxidative stabilities, and unique electric as well as dielectric properties. With a number of great progresses in the past decades, they offered tremendous opportunities for PI fibers to be utilized in widespread uses such as electric, microelectronics, engineering, and aerospace applications. To further optimize the performances of the resulting PI fibers to meet the requirement for industrial development, the relationship between structures and properties of the PI fibers have been systematically investigated. Herein, the effect of preparation methods, spinning conditions, and chemical structures on the comprehensive properties of the resultant PI fibers are reviewed, which will provide useful information to establish a general rule in designing and preparing high-performance PI fibers.