Processability and mechanical properties of bisbenzoxazine modified by the cardanol-based aromatic diamine benzoxazine

Abstract

Abstract To improve the processability and toughness of bisbenzoxazine, a series of cardanol-based aromatic diamine benzoxazine (BZ-Xc) monomers were synthesized from cardanol, formaldehyde aqueous solution and aromatic diamines with different bridging groups such as -CH2-, -O- and -SO2-. The curing behavior, viscosity, thermal and mechanical properties of 4,4′-diaminodiphenylmethane (DDM)-based bisbenzoxazine (BM) and BZ-Xc copolymers were studied systematically. The results demonstrate that the plasticizing effect and flexibility of the alkyl side chain on BZ-Xc significantly reduced the melting viscosity of BM/BZ-Xc blends and improved the toughness of the copolymers. At the same time, the heat-resistant and mechanical properties of the copolymers were retained, because of the bifunctional structure of BZ-Xc. Moreover, the melting viscosity, glass transition temperature and curing temperature of the corresponding copolymers were increased as the result of rigidity and electron-withdrawing effects of the -SO2- bridging group compared to others.