Effect of cyanate ester on the cure behavior and thermal stability of epoxy resin

Abstract

Epoxy resin (diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A, DGEBA)/cyanate ester mixtures were cured with a curing agent, 4,4′-diaminodiphenylsulfone, and the effect of cyanate ester resin on the cure behavior and thermal stability in the epoxy resin was investigated with a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, a rheometer, a dynamic mechanical analyzer, and a thermogravimetric analyzer. Cure reactions in the epoxy/cyanate ester mixture were faster than that of the neat epoxy system. The cure reaction was accelerated by increasing the cyanate ester resin component. Glass transition temperature and thermal stability in the cured resins were increased with increasing cyanate ester resin component. This may be caused by the increase of crosslinking density due to the polycyclotrimerization of the cyanate ester monomer to form triazine rings and the reaction of cyanate ester resin with the epoxy network. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 65: 85–90, 1997