| Abstract: | ABSTRACT Unmodified epoxy resins based on bisphenol A exhibit brittleness and low elongation after cure. This article reports the results of a study for improving the properties of epoxy resin by blending with suitable thermosets. Hybrid polymer networks of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) resin with epoxidized phenolic novolac resins (EPN) containing phenol and formaldehyde in different stoichiometric ratios were prepared by physical blending. The modified epoxy resins were found to exhibit improved mechanical and thermal properties compared to the neat resin. DGEBA resins containing 2.5 to 20 wt% of epoxidized novolac resins (EPN) prepared in various stoichiometric ratios (1:0.6, 1:0.7, 1:08, and 1:0.9) between phenol and formaldehyde were cured using a room temperature amine hardener. The cured samples were tested for mechanical properties such as tensile strength, modulus, elongation, and energy absorption at break. All the EPNs are seen to improve tensile strength, elongation, and energy absorption at break of the resin. The blend of DGEBA with 10 wt% of EPN-3 (1:0.8) exhibits maximum improvement in strength, elongation, and energy absorption. EPN loading above 10 wt% is found to lower these properties in a manner similar to the behavior of any filler material. The property profiles of epoxy–EPN blends imply a toughening action by epoxidized novolac resins and the extent of modification is found to depend on the molar ratio between phenol and formaldehyde in the novolac. |
