Effect of the Structure of Curing Agents Modified by Epoxidized Oleic Esters on the Toughness of Cured Epoxy Resins

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the ester carbon chain length of curing agents modified by epoxidized oleic esters on the toughness of cured epoxy resins. An amine-terminated prepolymer (i.e., curing agent G) was synthesized from a bisphenol A type liquid epoxy resin and triethylene tetramine. The toughening curing agents (G1 and G2) were prepared by reactions of epoxidized oleic methyl ester and epoxidized oleic capryl ester, respectively, with curing agent G. Fourier transform infrared spectrometry was used to characterize the chemical structure of the curing agents. The effects of the carbon chain length of the oleic ester group in the curing agents on the toughness and other performances of the curing epoxy resins were investigated by analysis of the Izod impact strength, tensile strength, elongation at break, thermal properties, and morphology of the fracture surfaces of the samples. The results denote that the toughness of the cured epoxy resins increased with the introduction of oleic esters into the curing agents without a loss of mechanical properties and that the toughness and thermal stability of the materials increased with increasing ester carbon chain length. The toughness enhancement was attributed to the flexibility of the end carbon chains and ester carbon chains of the oleic esters in the toughening curing agents. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 119: 3504-3510, 2011