The Effect of Nonterminal Liquid Crystalline Epoxy Resin Structure and Curing Agents on the Glass Transition of Polymer Networks

Abstract

Modern science and technology demand a low glass transition temperature, yet one tailored to specific thermoset needs and specific to individual hardener applications. Two novel, nonterminal liquid crystalline epoxy resins (LCER) were synthesised, with their structures characterized via nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), mass spectrometry (MS), and elemental analysis. Their liquid crystalline nature and thermal properties were determined using polarized optical microscopy (POM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). A set of seven aromatic amines serving as curing agents was used to perform curing in fourteen different systems in order to assess the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the obtained polymer networks using DSC. The liquid crystalline elastomers were obtained with vitrification occurring in a low temperature range (−10–40 °C), with a more predictable outcome for amines with two aromatic rings in the structure than with one. Moreover, the resin with a core consisting of four aromatic rings produces networks with higher Tg than the three-aromatic resin. The use of nonterminal LCER allowed the lowering of the glass transition temperature of the polymers to more than 70 °C compared to a terminal analogue. This brings new possibilities of designing highly elastic yet cured polymers with potential for use in smart applications due to the LC nature of the resin.