Low‐temperature processable glass fiber reinforced aromatic diamine chain extended bismaleimide composites with improved mechanical properties

Abstract

AbstractThe synthesis of 4,4′‐bismaleimido diphenylmethane (BMIM) and modified BMIM by its chain extension using commercially available aromatic diamines like 4,4′‐diamino diphenyl methane (DDM), 4,4′‐diaminodiphenyl sulphone (DDS), and 4,4′‐diamine diphenyl ether (DDE) was done. The synthesized materials have been characterized for structural aspects using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The structure of BMIM was confirmed due to the presence of specific bands at ~1400 and 1705 cm−1 responsible for CC and OCNCO groups, respectively. The reduction in the heat of fusion and enthalpy of curing for chain extended bismaleimides/modified BMIM shows the influence of the swivel group in diamine during curing. The curing window has broadened for BMIM_M and BMIM_E by ~40°C and narrowed for BMIM_S by ~100°C. The mechanical properties and the chemical resistance were studied for the composites made from the BMIM and modified BMIM based composites. Fiber‐enhanced modified bismaleimide resin has improved mechanical properties.