3,5-dimethylphenol resole resins: their structure and mechanism of thermaldecomposition leading to graphitisation

Novel model compounds based on 3,5-dimethylphenol were used to determine th e structure of graphitisable 3,5-dimethylphenol resins. The base catalysed reaction of 3,5-dimethylphenol with formaldehyde was found to give a solid, which CP-MAS C-13 NMR showed to have a predominately Linear structure, hig hly condensed but with few crosslinks. Model studies showed that the 3,5-di methylphenol material was readily able to form xanthene type structures, un like phenol derived material. The presence of xanthene structures can accou nt for the unusual properties of 3,5-dimethylphenol derived resins, includi ng oxygen sensitivity and graphitisability. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.