To
develop thermally stable optical polymers for visible and near-infrared
sensor applications, a series of sulfur-containing polyimides (PIs)
with chalcogen atoms were successfully synthesized via conventional
two-step polycondensation of 4,4′-[p-thiobis(phenylenesulfanyl)]diphthalic
anhydride (3SDEA) with four diamines: 4,4′-oxidianiline (ODA),
4,4′-thiodianiline (TDA), 4,4′-selenodianiline (SEDA),
and 4,4′-tellurodianiline (TEDA). Because of the large atomic
polarizabilities of the sulfur, selenium, and tellurium atoms, the
resultant PIs exhibited significantly high refractive indices in the
1.738–1.778 range at 637 nm along with a transmittance >90%
at 650–1500 nm. In addition, the PIs exhibited good thermal
stability, with high thermal decomposition and glass transition temperatures
(T
d5% > 390 °C and T
g = 183–217 °C, respectively). Owing to the
good affinity of SEDA–3SDEA for TiO2 nanoparticles,
a nanocomposite film with a 3.0 wt % loading of TiO2 nanoparticles
exhibited a refractive index of 1.774 at 637 nm.