Novel approach to preparing epoxy/polyhedral oligometric silsesquioxane hybrid materials possessing high mass fractions of polyhedral oligometric silsesquioxane and good homogeneity

• Published in: Journal of polymer science. Part A, Polymer chemistry Polymer chemistry, 2006-03, Vol.44 (6), p.1869-1876
• Main Authors: Liu, Ying-Ling, Chang, Gung-Pei
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; compatibilization; Composites; Exact sciences and technology; Forms of application and semi-finished materials; nanocomposites; Polymer industry, paints, wood; silicas; Technology of polymers
• ISSN: 0887-624X; 1099-0518
• DOI: 10.1002/pola.21300

Epoxy/polyhedral oligometric silsesquioxane (POSS) hybrid materials, containing 50 wt % POSS and exhibiting good homogeneity, were obtained in a two‐step preparation. Monoamine‐functionalized POSS was first reacted with diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A to form an epoxy POSS precursor, which was then cured. Curing agents such as 4,4′‐diaminodiphenylmethane, dicyandiamide (DICY), and diethylphosphite (DEP) were used for the synthesis of the epoxy–POSS hybrid materials. The use of small‐molecule curing agents, such as DICY and DEP, efficiently avoided macrophase separations and enhanced the thermal properties of the hybrid materials. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 1869–1876, 2006 Epoxy/polyhedral oligometric silsesquioxane (POSS) hybrid materials, which possessed POSS contents greater than 50 wt % and exhibited good homogeneity, were obtained in a two‐step preparation. Monoamine‐functionalized POSS was first reacted with diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A to form an epoxy POSS precursor, which was then cured. Curing agents such as 4,4′‐diaminodiphenylmethane, dicyandiamide (DICY), and diethylphosphite (DEP) resulted in epoxy–POSS hybrid materials. The use of small‐molecule curing agents, such as DICY and DEP, efficiently avoided macrophase separations and enhanced the thermal properties of the hybrid materials.