Acetone-formaldehyde-resorcinol-based IPNs and their glass-fiber-reinforced composites

Acetone-formaldehyde (AF) resin having methylol (-CH2OH) groups has been pr epared and polycondensed with resorcinol (R) at equimol. ratio of AF:R to p roduce acetone-formaldehyde-resorcinol (AFR) resin. The three components in terpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) have been prepared from this acetone -formaldehyde-resorcinol (AFR) resin, diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A (DGEB A) (a commercial epoxy resin) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) (a vinyl monome r) using simultaneous mode of IPN synthesis. The curing catalyst hexamethyl enetetramine (HMTA) for AFR, radical initiator 2,2'-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) for MMA and curing catalyst 4,4'-diaminodiphenyl methane (DDM) for t he epoxy resin was employed. The various properties of three components wer e evaluated. All the IPNs were characterized in terms of differential scann ing calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The glass-fiber reinforced composites (i.e. laminates) of produced IPN systems have also b een fabricated and their chemical resistivity and mechanical properties eva luated.