Porous highly fluorinated polyimide/polydopamine nanocomposite films with simultaneously enhanced toughness, UV-shielding and photostability for aerospace applications
Qing Li, Yujuan Guo, Chaoliu Ouyang, Shunmin Yi, Sheng Liu
Abstract
Polydopamine (PDA), also known as artificial melanin, was adopted as ultraviolet absorbent to prepare a series of porous highly fluorinated polyimide/polydopamine (FPI/PDA) films by cyclodehydration via chemical and thermal imidization. The hydrogen bond and porous structure endowed the reinforced thermal, mechanical, UV-shielding and photostability. The initial decomposition and glass transition temperatures of FPI/PDA (1 wt %) film were as high as 461.5 °C and 341.5 °C, respectively beyond pure FPI by 54.1 °C and 26.0 °C. The stress-strain curves indicated that tensile strength and fracture elongation first increased and then decreased with the increase of PDA content, and reached the maximum at 0.5 wt % PDA content, which were 1.41 and 29.47 times of FPI, respectively. UV–vis transmittance spectra, curcumin photolysis and recyclability measurement confirmed the splendid UV-shielding properties with simultaneous excellent visible light transmittance and durability of porous FPI/PDA film. FTIR and AFM manifested its superior photostability with mild variation in carbonyl absorption peaks and surface roughness after 720 h UV irradiation. The above enhancement mechanisms included synergistic UV absorption of porous FPI and PDA, photothermal conversion in a stable FPI, and PDA's free radical trapping, promoting porous FPI/PDA film as an aerospace UV shielding material.