Thermo-oxidative degradation of the polysiloxaneimides doped with LiCF3SO3

The thermo-oxidative degradation of PSI-Li, lithium salt containing polysiloxaneimides, was studied by using thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). Lithium salt reduces the decomposition temperatures of the siloxane sequences in PSI-Li complexes. From TGA data apparent activation energy E-a for degradation was evaluated following the method of Ozawa. The average activation energy E-a,E-av in the 80% conversion of the lithium salt containing polyimide was lower than that of blank polyimide, whereas the E-a,E-av of the lithium salt containing polysiloxaneimides were larger than that of polysiloxaneimides. The greater E-a,E-av for PSI-Li may be rationalized on the basis of the formation of thermally stable structures.