ODPA is a solid, melts in the range of 225-229 °C and was first introduced in the mid-1980s, offering a greater degree of flexibility than other commercial dianhydrides. It also is somewhat less reactive than BTDA. ODPA has largely been used in polyimides and much less so in epoxies. It imparts special performance properties in free films and in FCCL production for high-end personal electronic devices.
ODPA is also used to produce polyetherimide thermoplastic resins. A good balance of rigidity and flexibility leads to high toughness, a requirement for these high-performance engineered materials, used in a variety of aerospace, automotive and industrial parts.