A thermoplastic composition includes a poly(etherimide-siloxane) copolymer having a siloxane content of more than 0 to less than 50 weight percent based on the total weight of the poly(etherimide-siloxane) copolymer; an aromatic polyketone; and a mineral filler having a particle diameter of 0.1-2 micrometers. The thermoplastic composition has a lower toxicity index than the same composition without the aromatic polyketone, the mineral filler, or both, as determined in accordance with EN53505.

A method of manufacturing polyimide particles includes combining a polyimide solution including a polyimide and an organic solvent with an aqueous solution including water in the presence of an emulsifying surfactant at a shear rate from 1,000 to 3,000 revolutions per minute to form an emulsion. The method further includes removing the organic solvent to form an aqueous polymer dispersion including polyimide particles, and recovering the polyimide particles. The polyimide particles have a spherical morphology and a volume based D10 diameter from 3 to 50 micrometers, a volume based D90 diameter from 3 to 80 micrometers, and a volume based D100 diameter from 3 to 100 micrometers.

The present invention provides a resin composition having a high sensitivity and serving to produce a cured film with a low water absorption rate. The resin composition includes: (a) an alkali-soluble resin and (b1) an amido-phenol compound containing a phenolic hydroxyl group in which a monovalent group as represented by the undermentioned general formula (1) is located at the ortho position and/or (b2) an aromatic amido acid compound containing a carboxy group in which a monovalent group as represented by the undermentioned general formula (2) is located at the ortho position:

##STR00001##

wherein in general formula (1), X is a monovalent organic group having an alkyl group that contains 2 to 20 carbon atoms and bonds directly to the carbonyl carbon in general formula (1) or a monovalent organic group that has (YO).sub.n; and in general formula (2), U is a monovalent organic group that has an alkyl group containing 2 to 20 carbon atoms and bonding directly to the amide nitrogen in general formula (2) or a monovalent organic group that has (YO).sub.n; wherein Y is an alkylene group containing 1 to 10 carbon atoms and n is an integer of 1 to 20.

The present invention provides a photosensitive polyimide composition comprising a polyimide resin having a structural unit represented by the formula (1) and a structural unit represented by the formula (2), a quinonediazide sulfonate, a thermal curing agent, and a thermal acid generator.

##STR00001##

In the formulas (1) and (2), n is an integer of 10 to 600, Ar.sub.1 is a tetravalent organic group; Ar.sub.2 is a divalent to tetravalent organic group; Ar.sub.3 is a divalent aromatic group; and R.sub.1 is an OH group or a COOH group. The present invention also provides a photoresist film made of the above-mentioned photosensitive polyimide composition.

Provided is a photosensitive resin composition containing: one or more kinds of alkali-soluble resins selected from a polyimide, a polybenzoxazole, a polyimide precursor, a polybenzoxazole precursor, and a copolymer formed of two or more polymers selected from the preceding substances; and a photosensitizer. The photosensitive resin composition further contains a compound represented by general formula (1). Even when a cured film is fired at low temperature, the photosensitive resin composition exhibits superior adhesion properties with metallic materials, particularly copper, and also exhibits high chemical resistance.

A polymer composition includes a poly(biphenyl etherimide) of the formula

##STR00001##

wherein Z and R are as defined herein, and having a glass transition temperature of greater than 230 C. and a second polymer that is not the same as the poly(biphenyl etherimide). A method of making the polymer composition includes melt-mixing the poly(biphenyl etherimide) and the second polymer. Articles comprising the polymer composition and methods of forming the articles are also described.

Coatings and materials that are atomic oxygen resistant and have an atomically smooth surface that can reduce drag are disclosed. The coatings and materials can be used on at least a portion of a spacecraft intended to operate in harsh environments, such as stable Earth orbits at about 100 km to about 350 km.

A siloxane compound containing structures represented by the following general formulae (1) and (2): ##STR00001##
wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 independently represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms, a halogenated alkyl group, a thiol group, an acetyl group, a hydroxyl group, a sulfonic acid group, a sulfoalkoxyl group having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or an alkoxyl group having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms; x and y independently represent an integer of from 0 to 4; and A represents a single bond or an azomethine group, an ester group, an amide group, an azoxy group, an azo group, an ethylene group, or an acetylene group, and ##STR00002##
wherein R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 independently represent an alkyl group, a phenyl group, or a substituted phenyl group; and n represents an integer of from 1 to 100.

The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances herein. An object of the present invention is to provide: a tetracarboxylic dianhydride which can lead to a polyimide usable as a base resin of a photosensitive resin composition capable of forming a fine pattern and obtaining high resolution without impairing excellent characteristics such as mechanical strength and adhesiveness; a polyimide resin obtained by using the tetracarboxylic dianhydride; and a method for producing the polyimide resin. The tetracarboxylic dianhydride is shown by the following general formula (1).

##STR00001##

The present invention relates to a polyimide precursor and a lithography pattern formed by the same. The polyimide precursor has a repeating unit having a structure of formula (I):

##STR00001## in the formula (I), Ar represents a tetravalent group derivated from a tetracarboxylic dianhydride compound; R.sub.1 represents a divalent group derivated from a diamine compound; and R.sub.2 independently represent a thermal-crosslinking group, a photosensitive-crosslinking group, or a hydrogen atom. The polyimide precursor has an excellent pattern-forming ability.