Study on Thermal Degradation Behavior of Composites with Liquid Crystalline Thermoset

Abstract

Liquid crystalline thermosetting epoxy, 4,4’-Diglycidyloxy-α-methylstilbene (DOMS) was synthesized and characterized with cross-polarized optical microscopy (POM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Alumina reinforced DOMS composites were fabricated by melt blending with sulfanilamide (SAA) as a curing agent. To investigate thermal degradation behavior, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was performed under nitrogen atmosphere at the temperature range from 30 to 1000°C. Activation energies for decomposition (Ed) by TGA were determined as a function of conversion by weight loss process.