Mechanical, thermal, electrical, and interfacial properties of high-performance bisphthalonitrile/polyarylene ether nitrile/glass fiber composite laminates

Abstract

Bisphthalonitrile (BAPh)/polyarylene ether nitrile end-capped with hydroxyl groups (PEN-OH) composite laminates reinforced with glass fiber (GF) have been fabricated in this article. The curing behaviors of BAPh/PEN-OH prepolymers have been characterized by differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic rheological analysis. The results indicate that with the introduction of PEN-OH the curing temperature of BAPh has decreased to 229.6–234.8°C and BAPh/PEN-OH prepolymers exhibit large processing windows with relatively low melt viscosity. The BAPh/PEN-OH/GF composite laminates exhibit tensile strength (272.4–456.5 MPa) and modulus (4.9–10.0 GPa), flexural strength (507.1–560.9 MPa), and flexural modulus (24.0–30.4 GPa) with high thermal (stable up to 538.3°C) and thermal stabilities (stable up to 475.5°C). The dielectric properties of BAPh/PEN-OH/GF composite laminates have also been investigated, which had little dependence on the frequency. Meanwhile, scanning electron microscopy results show that the BAPh/PEN-OH/GF composite laminates display excellent interfacial adhesions between the matrix and GFs. Herein, the BAPh/PEN-OH matrix can be a good matrix for high-performance polymeric materials and the advanced BAPh/PEN-OH/GF composite laminates can be used under high temperature environment. POLYM. COMPOS., 34:2160–2168, 2013. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers