Liquid crystalline epoxides with long lateral substituents: Mechanical and thermal properties

Abstract

Abstract In this work, mechanical and thermal properties of liquid crystalline epoxides (LCEs) with long lateral substituents from 4 to 12 carbon atoms cured with diaminodiphenylmethane were evaluated and analyzed by dynamic mechanical analysis, tensile tests, scanning electron micrographs (SEM), and thermo‐gravimetrical analysis. The experimental results indicated that the Young's modulus and α, β transitions in crosslinked networks are associated with the length of lateral substituents. The plastic deformation in fracture surfaces was observed by SEM. Thermal stability, water and solvent absorption of cured networks was dependent on the length of lateral substituents. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 2835–2841, 2007