Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Solid Epoxy Resins: Study of Molecular Weight by GPC and MALDI-TOF/MS

Abstract

A new method of preparation of solid epoxy resins (SER) with desired epoxy-group content via an advanced process under microwave irradiation is presented together with the results of molecular weight measurements for narrow oligomeric fractions obtained from chromatographic separation of SER. All the measurements were performed using gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization spectrometry–time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/MS). In the GPC analysis, two types of calibration were used: the first was a standard calibration based on polystyrene standards, while the second was done on the basis of a chromatograms of epoxy resins synthesized from bisphenol A (BPA) and diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (EDBPA). On the basis of the MALDI-TOF analysis, it was assumed that the purity of starting materials, i.e., low molecular weight epoxy resin, clearly determined the structure of the SER. In order to obtain an SER with linear chain structures and an even number of po...