Thermal degradation behavior of epoxy resin blended with propyl ester phosphazene

The study was focused on the thermal degradation behavior of epoxy resins ( EP) blended with propyl ester phosphazene (FR). The analysis studied the ev olved gas and the residual char yield using different techniques. The resul ts showed that pure epoxy resin and their blends were all a one-stage therm al degradation reaction. The major degradation temperature of blends was lo wer than the temperature of pure epoxy resin, but the residual char yield o f epoxy blends at 550 degreesC was higher than that of pure epoxy resin. FR could accelerate the production of small molecules such as acetone, phenol , and isopropyl phenol during thermal degradation process. Honeycomb struct ure compounds were also formed in the residual char of epoxy and its blends . Additionally, elemental analysis of the residual char yield showed that p hosphorus was a residual element, and other elements mostly diffused to the evolved gas. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.