Characteristics of polyimide ultrafine fibers prepared through electrospinning

A novel route for making polyimide sub-micron fibers is described. The ultrafine fibers are prepared by electrospinning a poly(amic acid) solution, a precursor of polyimide, followed by thermal imidization. The fiber diameters, which are much smaller than conventionally spun fibers, range from a few tens of nanometers to several micrometers. A rectangular cross-section is observed in the case of sub-micron fibers with a cross-sectional dimension below ∼500 nm. © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry