THERMAL CHARACTERIZATION OF A BIS-MALEIMIDE BIS-CYANATE EPOXY THERMOSETTING RESIN FOR COMPOSITES

The thermosetting resin investigated here was a mixture of bis-maleimide and bis-cyanate, frequently referred to as BT (bis-maleimide triazine). Triazine is the reaction product of the cyclotrimerization of bis-cyanate during curing. For circuit board applications, a brominated epoxy resin was blended with BT to impart flame resistance. Resin cure was extensively investigated using a combination of thermoanalytical techniques (thermal analysis, heated cell infrared spectroscopy, and dynamic mechanical analysis). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) indicates a minimum of two separate reactions.