Abstract
Polyimide (PI)/organoclay hybrid films were prepared by the solution intercalation method, using dodecyltriphenylphosphonium‐mica (C~12~PPh‐Mica) as the organoclay. The variations with organoclay content of the thermomechanical properties, morphology, and optical transparency of the hybrids were examined for concentrations from 0 to 1.0 wt %. For low clay contents (≤ 0.5 wt %), the clay particles are better dispersed in the matrix polymer, without the formation of large agglomerates of particles, than they are for high clay contents. However, agglomerated structures form and become denser in the PI matrix for clay contents ≥ 0.75 wt %. This is in agreement with the observed trends in the thermomechanical properties and the optical transparency, which worsen drastically when the clay content of the C~12~PPh‐Mica/PI hybrids reaches 0.75 wt %. However, when the amount of organoclay in the hybrid is 0.75 wt %, the initial modulus of the hybrid film is at its maximum value. The PI hybrid films were found to exhibit excellent optical transparencies and to be almost colorless. It was found, however, that the transparency decreases slightly with increases in the organoclay content because of agglomeration of the clay particles. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008