Synthesis and Properties of Copolymer Epoxy Resins Prepared from Copolymerization of Bisphenol A, Epichlorohydrin, and Liquefied Dendrocalamus latiflorus

Dendrocalamus latiflorus Munro (ma bamboo) was liquefied in phenol and polyhydric alcohol (polyethylene glycol/glycerol cosolvent) with H2SO4 as catalyst. Liquefied bamboos reacted with bisphenol A and epichlorohydrin were then employed to prepare copolymer epoxy resins. The curing property and thermal property of copolymer epoxy resins were investigated. The results showed that copolymer epoxy resins could cure at room temperature after the hardener was added, and its curing process was an exothermic reaction. Comparison showed that copolymer epoxy resins prepared with phenol-liquefied bamboo as raw material had higher heat released than those prepared with polyhydric alcohol-liquefied bamboo during curing. The DSC analysis showed that heat treatment could enhance the crosslinking of copolymer epoxy resins Cured at room temperature. However, resins prepared with polyhydric alcohol-liquefied bamboo had a lower glass transition temperature. The TGA analysis showed that resins prepared with phenol-liquefied bamboo had better thermal stability. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 116: 2065-2073, 2010