Thermal, mechanical, and morphological properties of phenolic resin/silicahybrid ceramers

Phenolic resin/silica hybrid ceramers were prepared through sol-gel technol ogy. Differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis metho ds were utilized to study the thermal properties of the fabricated hybrid c eramers. The results showed that the heat resistance of the ceramers was sl ightly higher than that of the phenolic resin. The hydrogen bonding occurri ng inside the hybrid ceramers was investigated by Fourier transform infrare d. The results showed that the intermolecular hydrogen bonding between the phenolic resin and the silica was stronger than the intramolecular hydrogen bonding between the phenolic resin molecules themselves. Furthermore, the hybrid ceramers were utilized to fabricate carbon-fiber-reinforced composit es. The fabricated ceramer composites possessed better flexural strength an d flexural modulus than that fabricated from neat phenolic resin. (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.