Influence of the introduction of flexible alkyl chains on the thermal behavior and mechanical properties of mesogenic epoxy thermosets

A mesogenic epoxy resin (DGETAM) was cured with a series of curing agents having different lengths of long alkyl chain (nBAB, n=4, 8, 12). Properties of the curings were compared with those of the DGEBA cured with the same curing agents revealing the achievement of a balance between certain levels of thermal properties and excellent mechanical properties. Moreover, some curing systems were prepared with twin mesogenic type epoxy resins (DGEnMA, n=4, 6, 8, 10, 12) having different lengths of alkyl chain as a flexible spacer and the same curing agents (nBABs). Combinations of the same concentrations of chemical structures in the basic units of the network structure were applied, and the thermal and mechanical properties of their curing systems were investigated. The fracture energy of each system increased considerably with the increase of the alkyl chain length that adjoins the two mesogenic groups in the epoxy resins. (c) 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 44244.