| Abstract: | We report mechanical and thermal characteristics of a network composed of poly(propylene oxide) (PPG) and poly(butyl acrylate) crosslinked with tolylene diisocyanate. It was found that addition of about 4 wt % of an epoxy resin resulted in a higher mechanical toughness and less discoloration. Furthermore, it was found that the epoxy has a self‐restoration function against thermal degradation of the network. The reaction mechanism between the network and the epoxy was investigated with infrared spectroscopy and 13C‐NMR and the effect of the epoxy resin on the thermal stability and physical properties is discussed. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 77: 1886–1893, 2000 |
