Process for producing a porous polyimide by removing low molecular weight substance using supercritical carbon dioxide

摘要

A method of efficiently removing a low molecular weight substance from a polyimide precursor or polyimide in which the low molecular weight substance is dispersed as micro-domains, without using a large amount of an organic solvent. The method of removing a low molecular weight substance comprises subjecting either a polymer composition having a micro-domain structure made up of a continuous phase comprising a polyimide precursor and, dispersed therein, a discontinuous phase comprising a low molecular weight substance or a polyimide composition obtained from the polymer composition by converting the polyimide precursor into a polyimide to extraction with a combination of supercritical carbon dioxide and a co-solvent to thereby remove the low molecular weight substance. The co-solvent is preferably an aprotic polar solvent, more preferably a nitrogen compound solvent or a sulfur compound solvent.