Kinetics of Michael addition polymerizations of n,n′‐bismaleimide‐4,4′‐diphenylmethane with barbituric acid

With the addition of sufficient hydroquinone to completely suppress the free radical polymerization, the kinetics of Michael addition polymerizations of N,N′‐bismaleimide‐4,4′‐diphenylmethane (BMI) and barbituric acid (BTA) with BMI/BTA = 2/1 (mol/mol) in 1‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone was investigated independently. A mechanistic model was developed to adequately predict the polymerization kinetics before a critical conversion (ca. 60%), at which point the diffusion‐controlled polymer reactions started to predominate in the latter stage of polymerization. The Michael addition polymerization rate constants and activation energy in the temperature range 383–423 K were determined accordingly. Beyond the critical conversion, a relatively stationary limiting conversion (ca. 69%) independent of the reaction temperature was achieved. A diffusion‐controlled polymerization model taken from the literature satisfactorily predicted the limiting conversion data. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2013. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Synthesis and characterization of phenylsiloxane‐modified bismaleimide/barbituric acid‐based polymers with 3‐aminopropyltriethoxysilane as the coupling agent

The preparation and characterization of phenylsiloxane (PhSLX)‐modified N,N′‐bismaleimide‐4,4′‐diphenylmethane (BMI)/barbituric acid (BTA) (10/1 mol/mol) oligomers are described. 3‐Aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) was used as the coupling agent. The resultant hybrid BMI/BTA‐APTES‐PhSLX polymers were characterized primarily using thermogravimetric analysis in combination with differential scanning calorimetry and Fourier transform infrared measurements. The thermal stability of the BMI/BTA oligomer was improved significantly by incorporation of a small amount (20–30 wt%) of the copolymer of PhSLX and APTES (PASi). After adequate post‐curing reactions, the PASi‐modified BMI/BTA oligomers (HYBRID20 and HYBRID30 containing 20 and 30 wt% PASi, respectively) exhibited greatly reduced thermal degradation rates in the temperature range 300–800 °C and an increased level of residues at 800 °C as compared to the native BMI/BTA oligomer. This was further confirmed by thermal degradation kinetic studies, in which the activation energies for the thermal degradation reactions of the cured PASi‐modified BMI/BTA oligomers were shown to be higher than that of the pristine BMI/BTA oligomer. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effect of solvent proton affinity on the kinetics of michael addition polymerization of n,n′‐bismaleimide‐4,4′‐diphenylmethane with barbituric acid

The effect of solvent proton affinity on the kinetics of the Michael addition polymerizations of N,N′‐bismaleimide‐4,4′‐diphenylmethane (BMI) and barbituric acid (BTA) in different solvents [N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (NMP), N,N′‐dimethylacetamide (DMAC), and N,N′‐dimethylformamide (DMF)] were investigated. This was achieved by the complete suppression of the competitive free radical polymerization via the addition of a sufficient amount of hydroquinone (HQ). A mechanistic model was developed to adequately predict the polymerization kinetics before a critical conversion, at which point the diffusion‐controlled polymerization become the predominant factor during the latter stage of polymerization, was achieved. The activation energy (E_a) of the Michael addition polymerization of BMI with BTA in the presence of HQ in increasing order was: NMP < DMAC < DMF, which was correlated quite well with the solvent proton affinity (NMP > DMAC > DMF). By contrast, the frequency factor (A) in increasing order is: NMP < DMAC < DMF. As a result of the compensation effect between E_a and A, at constant temperature, the Michael addition rate constant decreased with increasing solvent proton affinity. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 54:559–568, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Effects of solvent basicity on free radical polymerizations of N,N′‐bismaleimide‐4,4′‐diphenylmethane initiated by barbituric acid

The polymerizations of N,N′‐bismaleimide‐4,4′‐diphenylmethane (BMI) initiated by barbituric acid (BTA) carried out in a variety of solvents at 130°C were studied. The nitrogen‐containing cyclic solvents such as N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidinone acted as a catalyst to promote the formation of the three‐dimensional crosslinked network structure. By contrast, the polymerization in a cyclic solvent that did not contain nitrogen such as γ‐butyrolactone resulted in nil gel content. The higher the solvent basicity, the larger the amount of insoluble polymer species formed. The molar ratio of BTA to BMI also played an important role in the polymerizations. The resultant polymers, presumably having a hyper‐branched structure, exhibited much narrower molecular weight distributions than those prepared by conventional free radical polymerizations. The BMI polymerizations using BTA as the initiator could not be adequately described by conventional free radical polymerization mechanisms. A polymerization mechanism that took into account the generation of a ketone radical pair between BTA and BMI and the subsequent initiation, propagation and termination reactions was proposed. It was concluded that the nitrogen‐containing cyclic solvents were capable of participating in the ketone radical pair formation process, thereby increasing the extent of polymer crosslinking reactions. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Silica nanoparticles modified with vinyltriethoxysilane and their copolymerization with N,N′‐bismaleimide‐4,4′‐diphenylmethane

The synthesis and characterization of the vinyltriethoxysilane‐modified silica nanoparticles were investigated. It was shown that the vinyltriethoxysilane molecules had been successfully grafted onto the silica nanoparticles. The native and silane‐modified silica dispersions in N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone with the total solids contents within the range 1–6 wt % exhibited dramatically different flow behaviors. The polymerization of N,N′‐bismaleimide‐4,4′‐diphenylmethane (BMI) initiated by barbituric acid in the presence of the native or vinyltriethoxysilane‐modified silica nanoparticles were then carried out in γ‐butyrolactone (total solids content = 20%). The higher the level of silica, the better the thermal stability of the BMI/silane/silica composite particles. The silane‐modified silica particles significantly improved their dispersion capability within the continuous BMI oligomer matrix. Furthermore, the degree of dispersion of the vinyltriethoxysilane‐modified silica particles in the BMI oligomer matrix decreased with the weight percentage of silica based on total solids increased from 20 to 40 wt %. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 103: Sci 103: 3600–3608, 2007     

Kinetic and structural studies of the polymerization of N,N′‐bismaleimide‐4,4′‐diphenylmethane with barbituric acid

Both the isothermal and non‐isothermal polymerizations of N,N′‐bismaleimide‐4,4′‐diphenylmethane (BMI) with barbituric acid (BTA) were investigated by the differential scanning calorimeter. The experimental results showed that the polymerizations of BMI with BTA were governed by the competitive Michael addition reaction and free radical polymerization mechanisms. Furthermore, the contribution of free radical polymerization becomes more important when the mole fraction of BTA decreases. ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR measurements further support the coexistence of the Michael addition reaction and free radical polymerization mechanisms. A preliminary kinetic model that took into account the competitive Michael addition reaction and free radical polymerization mechanisms was developed. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Effect of 1,3,5‐trialkyl‐benzenetricarboxylamide on the crystallization of poly(lactic acid)

A series of 1,3,5‐trialkyl‐benzenetricarboxylamides (BTA‐Rs) with different side‐chain lengths of n‐alkyl are synthesized to use as nucleating agents of poly (lactic acid) (PLA). Crystallization rate of PLA is detailed discussed in nonisothermal melt‐crystallization with addition of the synthesized nucleating agents. Among these BTA‐Rs, BTA‐n‐butyl (BTA‐nBu) shows the most excellent nucleation ability for PLA. The influences of BTA‐nBu on the nonisothermal melt‐crystallization and cold‐crystallization from the glassy state, isothermal crystallization, crystalline structure, and spherulite morphology of PLA are investigated. It is found that 0.8 wt % is the optimal weight fraction of BTA‐nBu to improve the crystallization of PLA. In the case of isothermal melt‐crystallization from melt, the addition of BTA‐nBu shortens the crystallization half‐time and speeds up the crystallization rate of PLA with no discernible effect on the crystalline structure. Besides, BTA‐nBu nucleated PLA exhibits smaller spherulites size and larger nucleation density than that of pure PLA. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 1328‐1336, 2013     

Investigation of liquid crystalline and photocrosslinkable poly[4‐x‐phenyl‐4′‐(m‐methacryloyloxyalkyloxy)cinnamate]s

Three series of liquid‐crystalline‐cum‐photocrosslinkable polymers were synthesized from 4‐x‐phenyl‐4′‐(m‐methacryloyloxyalkyloxy)cinnamates (x = ? H, ? OCH₃ and ? CN; m = 6, 8 and 10) by free radical solution polymerization using azobisisobutyronitrile as an initiator in tetrahydrofuran at 60 °C. All the monomers and polymers were characterized using intrinsic viscosity, and FTIR, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. The liquid crystalline behavior of these polymers was examined using a hot stage optical polarizing microscope. All the polymers exhibited liquid crystalline behavior. The hexamethylene spacer‐containing polymers exhibited grainy textures; in contrast, the octamethylene and decamethylene spacer‐containing polymers showed nematic textures. Differential scanning calorimetry data confirmed the liquid crystalline property of the polymers. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed that all the polymers were stable between 236 and 344 °C in nitrogen atmosphere and underwent degradation thereafter. As the methylene chain length increases in the polymer side‐chain, the thermal stability and char yield of the polymers decrease. The photocrosslinking property of the polymers was investigated using the technique of exposing the polymer solution to UV light and using UV spectroscopy. The crosslinking reaction proceeds via 2π–2π cycloaddition reactions of the ? CH?CH? of the pendant cinnamate ester. The polymers containing electron‐releasing substituents (? OCH₃) showed faster crosslinking than the unsubstituted polymers and those containing electron‐withdrawing substituents (? CN). Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry     

Synthesis,characterization and thermal degradation of poly[2‐(3‐p‐bromophenyl‐3‐methylcyclobutyl)‐2‐hydroxyethylmethacrylate]

In this work, 2‐(3‐p‐bromophenyl‐3‐methylcyclobutyl)‐2‐hydroxyethylmethacrylate (BPHEMA) [monomer] was synthesized by the addition of methacrylic acid to 1‐epoxyethyl‐3‐bromophenyl‐3‐methyl cyclobutane. The monomer and poly(BPHEMA) were characterized by FT‐IR and [¹H] and [¹³C]NMR. Average molecular weight, glass transition temperature, solubility parameter, and density of the polymer were also determined. Thermal degradation of poly[BPHEMA] was studied by thermogravimetry (TG), FT‐IR. Programmed heating was carried out at 10 °C min⁻¹ from room temperature to 500 °C. The partially degraded polymer was examined by FT‐IR spectroscopy. The degradation products were identified by using FT‐IR, [¹H] and [¹³C]NMR and GC‐MS techniques. Depolymerization is the main reaction in thermal degradation of the polymer up to about 300 °C. Percentage of the monomer in CRF (Cold Ring Fraction) was estimated at 33% in the peak area of the GC curve. Intramolecular cyclization and cyclic anhydride type structures were observed at temperatures above 300 °C. The liquid products of the degradation, formation of anhydride ring structures and mechanism of degradation are discussed. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry     

Copolycondensation of IPA/TPA,BPA, and 4,4′‐dihydroxydipehnylsulfone and 4,4′‐dicarboxydiphenylsulfone

Copolycondensations of IPA, TPA, bisphenol A (BPA), and several cimonomers were carried out to improve thermal properties, such as, the glass transition temperature (T_g) of the IPA/TPA (50/50)–BPA polyester. Among the comonomers examined, 4,4′‐Dihydroxydiphenylsulfone (BPS) and 4,4′‐Dicarboxydiphenylsulfone (DCDPS) having a strongly dipolar sulfonyl group in the chain were significantly effective. The favorable effect upon the T_gs was studied by varying the amounts of BPS and DCDPS incorporated into the copolymers. In the copolycondensation with BPS, two‐stage copolycondensation of BPA first and then BPS, the reverse order of reaction, and their spontaneous addition were examined to investigate the effect of distribution of the BPS unit segments in the copolymer upon the T_gs of the resulted copolymers. The distribution was briefly studied from distribution of the IPA/TPA‐BPA oligomers in the initial reaction using GPC. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 77: 875–879, 2000     

Thermal Decomposition,Kinetics and Compatibility Studies of Poly(3‐difluoroaminomethyl‐3‐methyloxetane) (PDFAMO)

The thermal decomposition of poly(3‐difluoroaminomethyl‐3‐methyloxetane) (PDFAMO) with an average molecular weight of about 6000 was investigated using thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The kinetics of thermolysis were studied by a model‐free method. The thermal decomposition of PDFAMO occurred in a two‐stage process. The first stage was mainly due to elimination of HF and had an activation energy of 110–120 kJ mol⁻¹. The second stage was due to degradation of the polymer chain. The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra of the degradation residues showed that the difluoroamino groups decomposed in a two‐step HF loss at different temperatures. The remaining monofluoroimino groups produced by the incomplete elimination of HF were responsible for the two‐stage thermolysis process. The compatibility of PDFAMO with some energetic components and inert materials used in polymer‐bonded explosives (PBXs) and solid propellants was studied by DSC. It was concluded that the binary systems of PDFAMO with cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX), 2,4,6‐trinitrotoluene (TNT), 2,4‐dinitroanisole (DNAN), pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), ammonium perchlorate (AP), aluminum powder (Al), aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) and 1,3‐diethyl‐1,3‐diphenyl urea (C₁) were compatible, whereas the systems of PDFAMO with lead carbonate (PbCO₃) and 2‐nitrodiphenylamine (NDPA) were slightly sensitized. The systems with cyclotetramethylenetetranitroamine (HMX), hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane (CL‐20), 3‐nitro‐1,2,4‐triazol‐5‐one (NTO), ammonium nitrate (AN), magnesium powder (Mg), boron powder (B), carbon black (C. B.), diphenylamine (DPA), and p‐nitro‐N‐methylamine (PNMA) were incompatible. The results of compatibility studies fully supported the suggested thermal decomposition mechanism of PDFAMO.     

Thermal degradation of the epoxy system BADGE n = 0/1,2‐DCH immersed in hydrochloric acid

The thermal degradation of an epoxy system consisting of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol‐A and 1,2‐diamine cyclohexane (BADGE n = 0/1,2‐DCH), immersed in hydrochloric acid for 30 days, was studied by thermogravimetric analysis, to determine the reaction mechanism of the degradation process. The results were compared with experimental data corresponding to the same epoxy system without exposure to the acid. It was found that the kinetic reaction mechanism changed with the immersion in HCl. The average activation energy of the solid‐state process was determined by using the Flynn‐Wall‐Ozawa method, resulting in 81 ± 2 kJ/mol. Different integral and differential methods and different reaction mechanisms reported in the literature were used and compared to this value. Analysis of experimental results suggests that in the conversion range studied, 5–20%, the reaction mechanism is somewhere between the different types of phase boundary controlled reaction and random nucleation with one nucleus on the individual particle. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 85: 371–375, 2002     

N,N′‐Pentamethylenethiuram disulfide and N,N′‐pentamethylenethiuram hexasulfide accelerated sulfur vulcanization. III. Vulcanization of polyisoprene and 2,3‐dimethyl‐2‐butene in the absence of ZnO

Polyisoprene and model compound, 2,3‐dimethyl‐2‐butene, were vulcanized with N,N′‐dipentamethylenethiuram disulfide (CPTD), CPTD/sulfur and N,N′‐dipentamethylenethiuram hexasulfide (CPTP6) in the absence of ZnO and residual extractable curatives and reaction intermediates analyzed by HPLC at various stages of the reaction. Accelerator polysulfides, required for the formation of accelerator‐terminated polysulfidic pendent groups, form rapidly, or are present from the outset in the case of CPTP6. Model compounds confirm the formation of thiuram‐terminated polysulfidic pendent groups as intermediates in the vulcanization process. Removal of pentamethylenedithiocarbamic acid (Hpmtc) from the system during heating delays the onset of vulcanization and leads to very low crosslink densities. Rubbers heated under vacuum can subsequently be crosslinked by the addition of zinc stearate, pointing to the presence in the compound of thiuram‐terminated pendent groups. However, such pendent groups do not readily crosslink on their own, and hydrogen‐terminated polysulfidic pendent groups, formed by the reaction of sulfurated Hpmtc with the polymer, are suggested to be involved in the crosslink formation. N,N′‐Pentamethylenethiurea forms in the vulcanizate, but is not as product of crosslinking reactions, rather of CPTD degradation. The data are discussed with respect to mechanisms proposed in the literature for crosslinking, and it is concluded that the data support recently formulated mechanisms in which crosslinking involves reaction between thiuram and thiol‐terminated pendent groups, with Hmptc playing and essential role in the overall process. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 78: 1100–1111, 2000     

Influence of protein content on the physicochemistry of poly(ϵ‐caprolactone) microparticles

The aim of this work was to determine the influence of protein content on the physicochemical properties of protein‐loaded poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL). To achieve this goal, bovine serum albumin (BSA), an example of protein was encapsulated within PCL matrix by emulsion solvent evaporation method. The polymer matrix's rheological properties, hydrophobicity, molecular weight (M_W), and thermal behavior were determined. Particle characteristics such as BSA loading, surface area, mean size, morphology, and in vitro release profile were also assessed. After encapsulation process, the polymer crystallinity and crystallization point were markedly increased suggesting that a nucleation phenomenon occurred. The increase in PCL M_W (from 46. 7 to 179.4 kDa) led to an increase of both particle size and encapsulation efficiency that was consistent with rheological data. The increase of protein content from 1.6 to 11.5% (w/w) influenced considerably particle's specific surface area and decreased the rate of protein release. Together, these results suggest that beside the nature of the carrier polymer, protein content may have implication on their controlled release, the coating of particle by protein, and on the carrier polymer chemistry and degradation. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 101: 1042–1050, 2006     

Preparation and characterization of siliconized epoxy/bismaleimide (N,N′‐bismaleimido‐4,4′‐diphenyl methane) intercrosslinked matrices for engineering applications

Novel hybrid intercrosslinked networks of hydroxyl‐terminated polydimethylsiloxane‐modified epoxy and bismaleimide matrix systems have been developed. Epoxy systems modified with 5, 10, and 15 wt % of hydroxyl‐terminated polydimethylsiloxane (HTPDMS) were developed by using epoxy resin and hydroxyl‐terminated polydimethylsiloxane with γ‐aminopropyltriethoxysilane (γ‐APS) as compatibilizer and dibutyltindilaurate as catalyst. The reaction between hydroxyl‐terminated polydimethylsiloxane and epoxy resin was confirmed by IR spectral studies. The siliconized epoxy systems were further modified with 5, 10, and 15 wt % of bismaleimide (BMI). The matrices, in the form of castings, were characterized for their mechanical properties. Differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis of the matrix samples were also performed to determine the glass‐transition temperature and thermal‐degradation temperature of the systems. Data obtained from mechanical studies and thermal characterization indicate that the introduction of siloxane into epoxy improves the toughness and thermal stability of epoxy resin with reduction in strength and modulus values. Similarly the incorporation of bismaleimde into epoxy resin improved both tensile strength and thermal behavior of epoxy resin. However, the introduction of siloxane and bismaleimide into epoxy enhances both the mechanical and thermal properties according to their percentage content. Among the siliconized epoxy/bismaleimide intercrosslinked matrices, the epoxy matrix having 5% siloxane and 15% bismaleimide exhibited better mechanical and thermal properties than did matrices having other combinations. The resulting siliconized (5%) epoxy bismaleimide (15%) matrix can be used in the place of unmodified epoxy for the fabrication of aerospace and engineering composite components for better performance. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 81: 38–46, 2001     

Ambipolar and multi‐electrochromic polyimides based on N,N‐di(4‐aminophenyl)‐N′,N′‐diphenyl‐4,4′‐oxydianiline

A series of novel aromatic polyimides were synthesized from N,N‐di(4‐aminophenyl)‐N′,N′‐diphenyl‐4,4′‐oxydianiline and aromatic tetracarboxylic dianhydrides through a conventional two‐step procedure. Most of the polyimides exhibited reasonable solubility in organic solvents and could afford robust films via solution casting. The polyimides exhibited high thermal stability, with glass transition temperatures in the range 227–273 °C and 10% weight‐loss temperatures in excess of 550 °C. All the polyimide films showed ambipolar redox and multi‐electrochromic behaviors. They exhibited two reversible oxidation redox couples at 0.94–0.98 and 1.09–1.12 V versus Ag/AgCl in acetonitrile solution. A coupling reaction between the radical cations of the pendent triphenylamine units occurred during the oxidative process forming a tetraphenylbenzidine structure which resulted in an additional redox state and color change. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry     

Cure and glass transition temperature of the bisphenol S epoxy resin with 4,4′‐diaminodiphenylmethane

The curing reaction of bisphenol S epoxy resin (BPSER) with 4,4′‐diaminodiphenylmethane (DDM) was studied by means of torsional braid analysis (TBA) in the temperature range of 393–433 K. The glass transition temperature (T_g) of the BPSER/DDM system is determined, and the results show that the reaction rate increases with increasing the T_g in terms of the rate constant, but decreases with increasing conversion. 1 The T_g of BPSER/DDM is about 40 K higher than BPAER/DDM. The gelation and vitrification time were assigned by the isothermal TBA under 373 K; in addition, an FTIR spectrum was carried out to describe the change of the molecular structure. The thermal degradation kinetics of this system was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). It illustrated that the thermal degradation of the BPSER/DDM has n‐order reaction kinetics. 2 © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 78: 794–799, 2000     

A facile strategy for the functionalization of poly[cyclotriphosphazene‐co‐(4,4′‐sulfonyldiphenol)] materials

Recently, a new type of phosphazene‐containing material, poly[cyclotriphosphazene‐co‐(4,4′‐sulfonyldiphenol)] (PZS), was successfully prepared. PZS materials including PZS nanotubes, PZS nanofibers and PZS microspheres show excellent thermal stability, biocompatibility and biodegradability. Moreover, PZS‐containing materials such as silver nanowire/PZS, carbon nanotube/PZS and Fe₃O₄/PZS nanotubes have also been prepared. Therefore, we explored a specific method for the functionalization of these PZS and PZS‐containing materials to expand their scope of application. As a model of various PZS and PZS‐containing materials, PZS microspheres (PZSMs) were functionalized via surface‐initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Polymerization of styrene occurred at surface sites covalently derivatized with ATRP initiators to form PZSM–polystyrene. The number‐average molecular weight (M_n) of grafted polymer chains could be well controlled. Furthermore, PZSM–polystyrene was still active for further block copolymerization of methyl methacrylate. Both styrene‐ and acrylate‐type monomers could be directly polymerized or block copolymerized from the surface of PZS and PZS‐containing materials using surface‐initiated ATRP. M_n of grafted polymer chains could be well controlled. This facile strategy could pave the way for a wider range of applications of these materials. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Curing kinetics and thermal property characterization of an o‐cresol formaldehyde epoxy resin and 4,4′‐diaminodiphenyl ether system

The kinetics of the curing reaction for a system of o‐cresol formaldehyde epoxy resin (o‐CFER) with 4,4′‐diaminodiphenyl ether (DDE) as a curing agent were investigated with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). An analysis of the DSC data indicated that an autocatalytic behavior appeared in the first stages of the cure for the system, and this could be well described by the model proposed by Kamal, which includes two rate constants and two reaction orders (m and n). The overall reaction order (m + n) was 2.7–3.1, and the activation energies were 66.79 and 49.29 kJ mol^?1, respectively. In the later stages, a crosslinked network was formed, and the reaction was mainly controlled by diffusion. For a more precise consideration of the diffusion effect, a diffusion factor was added to Kamal's equation. In this way, the curing kinetics were predicted well over the entire range of conversions, covering both the previtrification and postvitrification stages. The glass‐transition temperatures of the o‐CFER/DDE samples were determined via torsional braid analysis. The results showed that the glass‐transition temperatures increased with the curing temperature and conversion up to a constant value of approximately 370 K. The thermal degradation kinetics of the system were investigated with thermogravimetric analysis, which revealed two decomposition steps. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 94: 182–188, 2004     

Preparation and characterization of bismaleimide (N,N′‐bismaleimido‐4,4′‐diphenyl methane)–unsaturated polyester modified epoxy intercrosslinked matrices

An intercrosslinked network of unsaturated polyester–bismaleimide modified epoxy matrix systems was developed. Epoxy systems modified with 10, 20, and 30% (by weight) of unsaturated polyester were made by using epoxy resin and unsaturated polyester with benzoyl peroxide and diaminodiphenylmethane as curing agents. The reaction between unsaturated polyester and epoxy resin was confirmed by IR spectral studies. The unsaturated polyester toughened epoxy systems were further modified with 5, 10, and 15% (by weightt) of bismaleimide (BMI). The matrices, in the form of castings, were characterized for their mechanical properties. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of the matrix samples were performed to determine the glass transition temperature (T_g) and thermal degradation temperature of the systems, respectively. Mechanical properties, viz: tensile strength, flexural strength, and plain strain fracture toughness of intercrosslinked epoxy systems, were studied by ASTM methods. Data obtained from mechanical and thermal studies indicated that the introduction of unsaturated polyester into epoxy resin improves toughness but with a reduction in glass transition, whereas the incorporation of bismaleimide into epoxy resin improved both mechanical strength and thermal behavior of epoxy resin. The introduction of bismaleimide into unsaturated polyester‐modified epoxy resin altered thermomechanical properties according to their percentage concentration. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 85: 2853–2861, 2002