JOURNAL OF POLYMER ENGINEERING

 Vol. 23, No. 3, 2003, page 163

Thermomechanical Properties and Morphology of Blends of a Novel Thermoplastic Copolymer and Epoxy-Resin

 I. Blanco, G. Cicala, C. LoFaro and A. Recca

Department of the Physical and Chemical Methodologies for Engineering,University of Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6,
95125 Catania, Italy

Abstract

             The present paper is about a study on the effects on thermomechanical properties of an epoxy resin system blended with an amine ended PES:PEES (polyethersulphone-polyetherethersulphone) copolymer. Four different epoxy systems, each containing different amounts of toughening agent, were fully characterised in terms of morphology, viscoelastic properties and fracture resistance. Moisture resistance of the systems was investigated. Morphologies varying from particulate, for low thermoplastic content, to phase inverted, for higher thermoplastic content, were obtained. The effect of observed morphologies on viscoelastic properties in the solid state was studied by means of D.M.T.A. (Dynamic Mechanic Thermal Analysis) in a bend mode configuration. An increase in toughness with an increase of thermoplastic amount was observed.

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