Room-Temperature, Ultraviolet Curing of Polyimides

Polyimides have been used widely in fiber-reinforced composite materials for aerospace components and in thin films for packaging of electronic circuitry. Typically, the synthesis of a material of this type involves the condensation of a diamine with a dianhydride. This synthesis also produces low-molecular-weight byproducts, e.g., water, which can cause problems in processing the polyimide that one seeks to produce. In addition, health concerns about the handling of aromatic diamines - which are often toxic, mutagenic, or carcinogenic - give rise to requirements to use costly engineering controls in the workplace to limit exposure to these compounds.