Study on the copolymers of silicon-containing arylacetylene resin and acetylene-functional benzoxazine

Design of Co-Cured Multi-Component Thermosets with Enhanced Heat Resistance, Toughness, and Processability via a Machine Learning Approach

Designing heat-resistant thermosets with excellent comprehensive performance has been a long-standing challenge. Co-curing of various high-performance thermosets is an effective strategy, however, the traditional trial-and-error experiments have long research cycles for discovering new materials. Herein, a two-step machine learning (ML) assisted approach is proposed to design heat-resistant co-cured resins composed of polyimide (PI) and silicon-containing arylacetylene (PSA), that is, poly(silicon-alkyne imide) (PSI). First, two ML prediction models are established to evaluate the processability of PIs and their compatibility with PSA. Then, another two ML models are developed to predict the thermal decomposition temperature and flexural strength of the co-cured PSI resins. The optimal molecular structures and compositions of PSI resins are high-throughput screened. The screened PSI resins are experimentally verified to exhibit enhanced heat resistance, toughness, and processability. The research framework established in this work can be generalized to the rational design of other advanced multi-component polymeric materials.

Synthesis and Characterization of Block Copolymers of Poly(silylene diethynylbenzen) and Poly(silylene dipropargyl aryl ether)

Poly(silylene diethynylbenzene)–b–poly(silylene dipropargyloxy diphenyl propane) copolymer (ABA-A), poly(silylene diethynylbenzene)–b–poly(silylene dipropargyloxy diphenyl ether) copolymer (ABA-O), and a contrast poly(silylene diethynylbenzene) with equivalent polymerization degree were synthesized through Grignard reactions. The structures and properties of the copolymers were investigated via hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Haake torque rheometer, differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis, thermogravimetric analysis and mechanical tests. The results show that the block copolymers possess comprehensive properties, especially good processability and good mechanical properties. The processing windows of these copolymers are wider than 58 °C. The flexural strength of the cured ABA-A copolymer reaches as high as 40.2 MPa. The degradation temperatures at 5% weight loss (T_d5) of the cured copolymers in nitrogen are all above 560 °C.

Developing Highly Tough, Heat-Resistant Blend Thermosets Based on Silicon-Containing Arylacetylene: A Material Genome Approach

Silicon-containing arylacetylene (PSA) resins exhibit excellent heat resistance, yet their brittleness limits the applications. We proposed using acetylene-terminated polyimides (ATPI) as an additive to enhance the toughness of the PSA resins and maintain excellent heat resistance. A material genome approach (MGA) was first established for designing and screening the acetylene-terminated polyimides, and a polyimide named ATPI was filtered out by using this MGA. The ATPI was synthesized and blended with PSA resins to improve the toughness of the thermosets. Influences of the added ATPI contents and prepolymerization temperature on the properties were examined. The result shows that the blend resin can resist high temperature and bear excellent mechanical properties. The molecular dynamics simulations were carried out to understand the mechanism behind the improvement of toughness. The present work provides a method for the rapid design and screening of high-performance polymeric materials.

A Novel Acetylene-Functional/Silicon-Containing Benzoxazine Resin: Preparation, Curing Kinetics and Thermal Properties

Benzoxazine resin has been paid more attention in the fields of aviation, electronics, automobiles and new energy industries because of its excellent comprehensive performance. Further application is limited, however, by shortcomings such as high brittleness and high curing temperature. Furthermore, higher thermal stability is imperiously demanded in special areas. Incorporating both an acetylene group and silicon into the benzoxazine monomer is a promising possible solution to improve the curing processability, thermal properties and toughness of benzoxazine. In this paper, an acetylene-functional/silicon-containing benzoxazine monomer was prepared by two-step synthesis, and acetylene-functional benzoxazine was also prepared as a comparison. FTIR and ¹H NMR confirmed the molecular structure of acetylene-functional/silicon-containing benzoxazine. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis showed that the initial and peak degradation temperatures of acetylene-functional/silicon-containing benzoxazine were decreased by 21 °C and 18 °C compared with acetylene-functional benzoxazine, respectively. The apparent activation energy of the curing reaction of acetylene-functional/silicon-containing benzoxazine was 83.1 kJ/mol, which was slightly lower than acetylene-functional benzoxazine (84.7 kJ/mol). TGA results showed that the acetylene-functional/silicon-containing benzoxazine had a higher thermal stability than acetylene-functional benzoxazine. The temperatures of 5% weight loss of acetylene-functional/silicon-containing benzoxazine were 380 °C in nitrogen and 485 °C in air, and the char yield at 1000 °C was 80% in nitrogen and 21% in air, respectively. The results of mechanical properties showed that the impact strength of acetylene-functional/silicon-containing benzoxazine was higher than acetylene-functional benzoxazine by 35.4%. The tensile and flexural strengths of acetylene-functional/silicon-containing benzoxazine were slightly higher than that of acetylene-functional benzoxazine.

Amino-Functionalized Lead Phthalocyanine-Modified Benzoxazine Resin: Curing Kinetics, Thermal, and Mechanical Properties

Phenol-diaminodiphenylmethane-based benzoxazine (P-ddm)/phthalocyanine copolymer was prepared by using P-ddm resin as matrix and 3,10,17,24-tetra-aminoethoxy lead phthalocyanine (APbPc) as additive. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were used to investigate the curing behavior, curing kinetics, dynamic mechanical properties, thermal stability, and impact strength of the prepared copolymers. The kinetic parameters for the P-ddm/APbPc blend curing processes were examined by utilizing the iso-conversional, Flynn–Wall–Ozawa, and Málek methods. The P-ddm/APbPc blends exhibit two typical curing processes, and DSC results confirmed that the blending of APbPc monomer can effectively reduce the curing temperature of P-ddm resin. The autocatalytic models also described the non-isothermal curing reaction rate well, and the appropriate kinetic parameters of the curing process were obtained. The DMA and impact strength experiments proved that the blending of APbPc monomer can significantly improve the toughness and stiffness of P-ddm resin, the highest enhancements were observed on 25 wt.% addition of APbPc, the recorded values for the storage modulus and impact strength were 1003 MPa and 3.60 kJ/m² higher, respectively, while a decline of 24.6 °C was observed in the glass transition temperature values. TGA curves indicated that the cured copolymers also exhibit excellent thermal stabilities.

Synthesis and properties of a novel highly thermal stable N-propargyl monomer containing benzoxazole ring

A novel highly thermal stable propargyl functional compound containing benzoxazole ring, N, N, N′, N′-tetra propargyl-5-amino-2-(p-aminophenyl) benzoxazole (TPAPB), was proposed and synthesized using a phase-transfer catalytic method. The cure behavior of TPAPB was investigated by non-isothermal differential scanning calorimetry analysis. The solubility and rheological properties of TPAPB, as well as its broad temperature window from 130°C to 200°C with low viscosity, offered excellent processability for TPAPB to be used as a potential monomer of thermosetting polymer resin. It was found that the glass transition temperature of cured TPAPB was 359°C, and the temperature of 5% weight loss was 418°C in argon with the char residue up to 70% at 700°C. The polymerized resin exhibited high heat resistance and thermal stability, together with its processability, making it good candidate as highly heat-resistant polymer matrix for advanced composite applications.

Synthesis of novel imide-functionalized fluorinated benzoxazines and properties of their thermosets

In this study, two novel imide-functionalized fluorinated benzoxazines, N,N′-bis( N-phenylacetylene-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,3-benzoxazinyl)-(4,4′-hexafluoroisopropylidene)bisphthalimide (6FIBZ-apa) and N,N′-bis( N-phenyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,3-benzoxazinyl)-(4,4′-hexafluoroisopropylidene)bisphthalimide (6FIBZ-a), were successfully synthesized. The structures of the benzoxazines were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies. The novel benzoxazines were easily dissolved in common organic solvents. The differential scanning calorimetric curve of 6FIBZ-apa showed only a single exothermic peak since oxazine ring-opening and acetylene addition polymerization occurred simultaneously in the same temperature range. The introduction of rigid and thermally stable imide moiety led to rigid molecular structure, thus resulting in an increase in the glass transition temperature and improvement in thermal stability. The thermal properties were further improved significantly by the incorporation of cross-linkable acetylene groups to increase the cross-linking density as evidenced by thermogravimetric analysis.

Preparation and properties of silicon-containing arylacetylene resin/benzoxazines blends

A series of aniline-based bifunctional benzoxazines (BZs) were synthesized using solventless or solvent method via the Mannich condensation reactions. The chemical structures of these BZs were confirmed using Fourier-transform infrared and proton-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies. The polymer blends were prepared by mixing silicon-containing arylacetylene (poly(dimethylsilyleneethynylenephenyleneethynylene) (PSA)) resin with BZ in weight ratios at 110°C until a homogeneous viscosity liquid was obtained. The resultant blends were characterized by solubility tests, rheological analyses, differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analyses and thermogravimetric analyses. The good solubility and low melt viscosity of the blends indicated excellent processability. The curing reactions resulted in the formation of interpenetrating polymer networks. The cured blends exhibited high glass transition temperatures (T gs) and thermal stabilities. The compressive strength and flexural strength of the blend casts improved when compared with pristine PSA.