Selective preparation of oligomeric naphthylene ether and its applications to epoxy resin for silicon carbide power semiconductor device materials

In this study, a novel method for selective synthesis of naphthylene ether trimers by self‐condensation of 2,7‐dihydroxynaphthalene in the presence of catalytic amount of potassium hydroxide was reported. An epoxy resin from the trimers was prepared and properties of the cured epoxy resin were examined. The cured resin showed not only good physical thermal stability, such as high glass transition temperature and low thermal expansion coefficient, but also good chemical thermal stability like high thermal decomposition temperature. Additionally, low moisture absorption of the cured resin was confirmed. From these results, the newly prepared epoxy resin with naphthylene ether skeletons was considered to be suitable for advanced applications such as silicon carbide power semiconductor device. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43339.