Synthesis of a bifunctional epoxy monomer containing biphenyl moiety and properties of its cured polymer with phenol novolac

Abstract

A new type of epoxy resin containing a 4,4′-biphenylene moiety in the backbone (Bis-EBP) is synthesized and confirmed by elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, and 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. In addition, to evaluate the influence of the 4,4′-biphenylene group in the structure, an epoxy resin having a 1,4-phenylene group in place of the 4,4′-biphenylene moiety (Bis-EP) is synthesized. The cured polymer obtained through the curing reaction between the new biphenyl-containing epoxy resin and phenol novolac is used for making a comparison of its thermal and physical properties with those obtained from Bis-EP and bisphenol-A (4,4′-isopropylidenediphenyl)-type epoxy resin (Bis-EA). The cured polymer obtained from Bis-EBP shows markedly higher fracture toughness of 1.32 MPa m1/2, higher glass transition temperature, lower moisture absorption, and higher thermal decomposition temperature. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 74: 690–698, 1999