Soluble asymmetric bismaleimide with low molten viscosity and its high glass transition temperature polymer

Three novel bismaleimide monomers (MBA-BMI, EBA-BMI, and PBA-BMI) with unsymmetrical backbone and different pendant groups were synthesized using asymmetric diamine and maleic anhydride as the precursors. The prepared bismaleimide monomers show good solubility in common organic solvents such as acetone and tetrahydrofuran. The EBA-BMI melt treated at 180 °C also shows low viscosity about 190–934 mPa s at the temperature range of 160–139 °C below its melting point (166 °C). In addition to the good processability, all three cured bismaleimides show high storage moduli at high temperatures (2.0 GPa at 400 °C), high glass transition temperatures over 400 °C, and good thermal stability with the 5% weight loss temperatures around 470 °C under nitrogen atmosphere. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133 , 43491.