Synthesis and physicochemical study of bisphenol-C epoxy cinnamate resin and its glass/jute and jute-natural fiber-reinforced composites

• Published in: Polymer bulletin (Berlin, Germany) Germany), 2024-02, Vol.81 (4), p.3191-3207
• Main Authors: Parsania, Parsotam H., Patel, Jignesh V., Patel, Jignesh P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Complex Fluids and Microfluidics; Organic Chemistry; Original Paper; Physical Chemistry; Polymer Sciences; Soft and Granular Matter
• ISSN: 0170-0839; 1436-2449
• DOI: 10.1007/s00289-023-04831-4

Bisphenol-C epoxy cinnamate (ECC) resin was synthesized by reacting 8.09 g epoxy resin of bisphenol-C, and 3.70 g cinnamic acid using 25 ml 1,4-dioxane as a solvent, and 1 ml triethylamine as a catalyst at reflux temperature for 1–6 h. Solid epoxy cinnamate is found to have excellent solubility in common organic solvents, 10.4–4.1 mg KOHg −1 acid values, and 303.0–426.0 mg KOH g −1 hydroxyl values. FTIR and 1 HNMR spectral data supported the structure of ECC. Thermal polymerization of ECC followed by decomposition is supported by DSC exothermic (142.9 ° °C) and broad endothermic (300 ° °C) transitions. ECC followed three steps of degradation kinetics. The first step followed first-order (1.13) degradation kinetics, while the second (2.40) and the third (0.58) steps followed fractional-order degradation kinetics. The energy of activation for the second and third steps is more than 3 times that of the first step. The entropy change (Δ S *) for the first (− 176.3JK −1  mol −1 ) and third (− 84 JK −1  mol −1 ) steps are found large and negative, while it is positive for the second step (9.4 JK −1  mol −1 ). Jute-, Glass- and Jute-biomass-ECCS composites showed moderate to fairly good tensile strength, flexural strength, electric strength, and fairly good volume resistivity. J-ECCS and G-ECCS composites showed high water absorption tendency and excellent hydrolytic stability against water, 10% aq. HCl and 10% aq. NaCl and even in boiling water. The composites may be useful during natural calamities and under diverse environmental conditions.