TOUGHENING OF A HIGHLY CROSS-LINKED EPOXY-RESIN BY REACTIVE BLENDING WITH BISPHENOL A POLYCARBONATE .1. FTIR SPECTROSCOPY

A highly cross-linked thermosetting epoxy resin was modified by a reac tive blending process carried out in the presence of bisphenol A polyc arbonate (PC). Prior to the curing process the PC component was dissol ved at high temperature in the uncured epoxy matrix. FTIR investigatio n of this reactive mixture demonstrated the occurrence of physical and chemical interactions among the blend components. Isothermal kinetic measurements performed by FTIR spectroscopy showed that the presence o f PC does not affect the overall curing mechanism but decreases both t he initial reaction rate and the final conversion of reactants. (C) 19 94 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.