The preparation of macroporous silicon containing polyimide films with regular voids and the characterization of their diffractive optical properties are reported in this paper. These materials were synthesized using a colloidal crystal template of silica microspheres. The air between the spheres was replaced by the poly(amic acid) that had been synthesized by copolymerizing monomer bis(3,4-dicarboxyphenyl)dimethylsilane dianhydride with 4,4' diaminodiphenyl ether in N,N-dimethylacetamide, the poly(amic acid) was subsequently cyclized, and the template was removed by treatment with hydrofluoric acid. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of these molded samples indicated highly uniform cavities ordered in hexagonal lattices, representing a negative replica of the original colloidal crystal. These large cavities are not isolated, but interconnected by a network of monodisperse smaller pores. These films exhibit striking optical properties due to the periodic arrangement of air spheres in the silicon containing polyimide. Because silicon containing polyimides have the good comprehensive properties of both polyimides and organosilicone resin, the macroporous material may have a wide range of applications as photoelectric device, catalytic surfaces and supports, separation and adsorbent media, biomaterials, etc.

Key words: colloidal crystal, template, silicon-containing polyimide, three-dimensionally ordered macroporous solid