Fabrication and physicochemical properties of glass fabric–multifunctional epoxy resin composite

Abstract

(2E,6E)2,6-Bis(4-amino benzylidene)cyclohexanone (BABC) was synthesized and used as a curing agent for tetrafunctional epoxy resin of bisphenol-C-formaldehyde (EBCF). Cured resin (EBCF–BABC) was characterized by FTIR, DSC and TGA techniques. No glass transition temperature was clearly detected due to overlapping of degradation steps with baseline shifting resulted distorted broad endothermic transition centered at about 236 °C and further was supplemented by TGA thermogram showing weight loss at that temperature. EBCF–BABC is thermally stable up to 175 °C and followed two-step degradation reactions. The first step has involved about 20% weight loss over 175–350 °C with temperature of maximum weight loss at about 217 °C. Similarly, the second step has involved about 52% weight loss over 350–500 °C with temperature of maximum weight loss at 412 °C. A 5.24-mm-thick glass fabric composite (G–EBCF–BABC) showed 140 MPa tensile strength, 192.3 MPa flexural strength, 7.524 GPa flexural modulus, 33.3 kJ m−2 impact strength, 38 Barcol hardness, 9 kV mm−1 electric strength, 3.6 × 1012 Ω cm volume resistivity and 12.4% equilibrium water absorption. Good thermomechanical, electrical and excellent hydrolytic stability of G–EBCF–BABC signified its usefulness for low load-bearing housing, electrical and electronic and marine applications.