ABSTRACT
Highly reflective and/or surface conductive flexible polyimide films have been prepared by the incorporation of silver(I) complexes of the (1,1,1,5,5,5-hexafluoro-2,4-pentanedionato) and (l,l,l-trifluoro-2,4-pentanedionato) ligands into a solution of poly(amic acid) formed from 3,3′,4,4′-benzophenone tetracarboxylic acid dianhydride (BTDA) and 4,4′-oxydianiline (4,4′-ODA). The silver(I) complexes are formed in situ in the poly(amic acid) solution. Thermal curing of silver(I)-containing BTDA/4,4′-ODA poly(amic acid) films leads to cycloimidization with concomitant silver(I) reduction to give a uniform dispersion of nanometer-sized silver particles in the bulk of the imidized film. With continued heating partial surface aggregation of silver metal occurs yielding a reflective and/or conductive surface silvered polyimide film with properties similar to those of the native metal. The metallized films retain the essential mechanical properties of the parent film and sufficient thermal properties to give the films a wide useful temperature range.
