T. Iijima et al., TOUGHENING OF EPOXY-RESINS BY N-PHENYLMALEIMIDE-N-CYCLOHEXYLMALEIMIDESTYRENE TERPOLYMERS, Journal of applied polymer science, 48(10), 1993, pp. 1859-1868
N-Phenylmaleimide (PMI)-N-cyclohexylmaleimide (CMI)-styrene (St) terpo
lymers were used to improve the toughness of bisphenol-A diglycidyl et
her epoxy resin cured with p,p'-diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DDS). The ter
polymers were effective as modifiers for toughening of the epoxy resin
system. The most suitable compositions for the modification of the ep
oxy resin were inclusion of 10 wt % of the terpolymer (45 mol % PMI, 5
mol % CMI, and 50 mol % St units) with M(w) higher than 247,000, whic
h led to ca. a 140% increase in the fracture toughness (K(IC)) of the
cured resin with a medium expense of mechanical properties. The glass
transition temperatures of the modified resins were equal to or higher
than that of the parent epoxy resin. The morphologies of the modified
resins were dependent on the terpolymer molecular weight and concentr
ation. On addition of 5 wt % of the terpolymer (M(w) 400,000), the mod
ified resins had two-phase morphologies and the terpolymer-rich disper
sed particles in the epoxy matrix. On addition of more than 8 wt % of
the terpolymer, the morphologies of the cured resins changed drastical
ly and showed a tendency to form cocontinuous phases. The toughening m
echanism was discussed in terms of the morphological behaviors of the
modified epoxy resin systems.