Epoxy resins modified with palm oil derivatives — preparation and properties

Abstract

The epoxidized palm oil was synthesized and prepolymerized in a reaction with isophorone diamine. The resulting palm oil derivatives were used as modifiers (in the amount 10 wt. %) of a bisphenol A-based low molecular weight epoxy resin. The prepared compositions and the pure unmodified epoxy resin were cured with isophorone diamine, and then their mechanical properties (i.e., tensile, flexural and compressive strengths, hardness and impact strength), thermal properties (using DMA) and morphology (by SEM) were examined. It was found that on one hand the palm oil derivatives led to a decrease in mechanical strength of the resin, but on the other hand, they contributed to an increase in relative elongation at break and significant improvement (even twice) in impact strength of the crosslinked products. A two-phase structure of the compositions studied, responsible for the increase of their impact strength was observed.