Bis(vinylbenzyl)ether and Bis(vinylbenzyl)thioether: Synthesis, Cure Studies and Evaluation of Carbon-Fiber Composites

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-30-1993

Department

Polymers and High Performance Materials

Abstract

Bis(vinylbenzyl)ether (BVE) and bis(vinylbenzyl)thioether (BVT) were synthesized from vinylbenzyl chloride in yields greater than 90%. The onset and peak temperatures for thermal cure observed by first-run differential scanning calorimetry scans were 80-degrees-C and 110-degrees-C for BVE and 120-degrees-C and 190-degrees-C for BVT respectively, with no T(g) in the second run. Fourier transform IR and solid state nuclear magnetic resonance data indicated that cure occurred mainly through vinyl addition polymerization with high conversions. Composites formed from these resins had flexural modulus values at room temperature comparable with, or better than, traditional epoxy resins. More importantly, however, the BVE and BVT samples maintained much higher moduli than epoxy samples at temperatures above 200-degrees-C and up to 300-degrees-C. In addition, thermal cycling to 250-degrees-C caused ca. 50% loss in epoxy composite properties, while BVE and BVT composites maintained their ambient temperature properties. Thermal decomposition of BVT in air occurred at higher temperatures than BVE, but once degradation began, it was much f-aster for BVT than BVE as confirmed by dynamic mechanical analysis and thermogravimetric analysis. Overall, these new resins offer improvements in processing and ultimate composite properties compared with epoxies.

Publication Title

Materials Science and Engineering A: Structural Materials Properties Microstructure and Processing

Volume

162

Issue

1-2

First Page

215

Last Page

220

Link to Full Text

Find in your library

Share

COinS