Examining the thermo-mechanical properties of novel cyanate ester blends through empirical measurement and simulation

Three cyanate ester monomer or oligomer species: 2,2-bis(4-cyanatophenyl)propane 1, 1-1-bis(4-dicyanatophenyl)ethane 2, and the oligomeric phenolic cyanate (Primaset (TM) PT30) 3, are blended in various ratios to form binary mixtures, formulated with copper(II) acetylacetonate (200 ppm) in dodecylphenol (1% w/v active copper suspension) and cured (2 K/min to 150 degrees C + 1 h; 2 K/min to 200 degrees C + 3 h) followed by a post cure (2 K/min to 260 degrees C + 1 h). Thermal analysis using DSC reveals good agreement with literature data for the homopolymers: typical polymerisation enthalpies of ca. 97-98 kJ/mol. cyanate are obtained for 1 and 2, with slightly lower values (ca. 80-90 kJ/mol.) obtained for Primaset (TM) PT30. DMTA data show the possibility of using binary blends of the polymers to yield novel materials with similar thermal and mechanical properties to Primaset (TM) PT30, while improving the processability of the more highly aromatic oligomer. Two of the homopolymers (1 and 2) and a binary (1:1) blend of the same were simulated. Molecular dynamics experiments reveal good agreement with empirical data generated using DSC, DMTA and TGA. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.