Polyimides with noncoplanar Carbazole-TPA units: synthesis and characterization

ABSTRACT

A series of redox-active, fluorescent neat polyimides and copolyimides bearing unsymmetrical and noncoplanar carbazole-TPA units have been synthesized via thermal imidization methods. The copolyimides were prepared by using methylene dianiline (MDA) and carbazole-TPA-based diamine in equimolar ratios and reacted with different dianhydrides. The structures of the prepared monomer and polyimides were thoroughly characterized and their thermal, optical, fluorescence and electrochemical properties were measured using DSC, TGA, UV-Vis spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry, which revealed the presence of high lying HOMO levels, blue light emission, and stable electrochemical properties.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Polyimides
• carbazole
• MDA
• blue emission
• high HOMO levels

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interests.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed on the publisher’s website.

Additional information

Funding

The authors greatly appreciate the support of this research by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (20-3821/NRPU/R&D/HEC/14).

Notes on contributors

Tayyaba Habib

Tayyaba Habib did her MSc in chemistry from Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan and did MPhil in organic chemistry from the same institution. Her MPhil work was mainly on Triphenylamine based polyimides and composites.

Maria Zubair

Maria Zubair received her Master’s degree in organic chemistry in 2017 from Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan. She also worked as research assistant and carried out synthesis on carbazole based polyimides and composites. Currently she is pursuing her PhD studies from Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Limerick, Ireland. She joined Kevin M Ryan nano group as PhD student in 2019 under SFI funded project. Currently her research focus is colloidal synthesis of chalcogenide material and their application.

Salma Bilquees

Salma Bilquees did her MSc in chemistry from Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan, followed by MPhil in organic chemistry from the same institution. She also worked as research assistant and carried out synthesis on Triphenylamine based polymers.

Asma Iqbal

Dr. Asma Iqbal graduated from top ranked Pakistan’s Quaid-I-Azam University, Chemistry Department. After graduation, she worked in the school as an assistant researcher and mainly engaged in the synthesis and application research of organic optoelectronic materials. Her dissertation was mainly on  synthesis and application of Triphenylamine based polymers and graphene based nanocomposites.  In 2019, Dr. Asma Iqbal joined Shanghai Jiao Tong University as a young scientist in the “Belt and Road” in Shanghai to carry out electrocatalytic organic synthesis research.

Humaira Masood Siddiqi

Prof. Dr. Humaira Masood Siddiqi is working as Professor in department of chemistry, Quaid-I-Azam University. She obtained her Masters degree in 1991, and in 1993 she obtained her degree in Masters of Philosophy, in organic chemistry from Quaid- i -Azam University. She earned her Ph.D. from Institut National des Sciences Appliqu´ees de Lyon France, where she worked in the laboratory of Professor Jean Pierre PASCAULT with Professor Michel Dumon as supervisor. Her fields of interest include: synthesis and characterization of organic molecules, liquid crystalline materials, polymers, nanoparticles and their nanocomposites in polymer matrices. Mainly, she had been working on development of thermoset epoxy based polymers and various polyimides and many research articles have been published in SCI journals. Moreover, she has also huge experience in development of modified epoxy oligomers, epoxy based interpenetrating (O-I) hybrid polymer materials, novel epoxy amine polymers. Her experience is not only limited to basic polymer synthesis but also her research interests are centered on the development of various new polymers for energy sector applications. As she is one of the well-known polymer chemist in Pakistan, she won various Research project fundings from Higher Education Commission Pakistan and University Research Fund of Quaid-i-Azam University.

Zaman Ashraf

Dr. Zaman Ashraf is working as an Assistant Professor at Department of Chemistry in Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad, Pakistan. He did his Ph.D in from 2011 Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad Pakistan. His research interests cover Drug development through enzyme based and cell based assay, Natural Products synthesis and their bioevaluation and various alkoxy ester/amide based Liquid Crystalline Materials. He has won various awards and has well reputed SCI journal publications.

Naveed Kausar Janjua

Prof. Dr. Naveed Kausar Janjua is working as Professor at Department of Chemistry, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan. Her research interests are Electrochemistry, Fuel cell, Designing simple routes for synthesis of electroactive nanomaterials for electrodes and Electrochemical bio-sensing, anti-diabetic drug development and their electrochemical studies. She has also won various funded research projects.