Carbazole terminal phenylene core imine skeletal nanosilica reinforced polybenzoxazine (nSi$${\mathrm O}_2$$/PBZ) hybrid nanocomposites

Phthalide cardo chain extended imine skeletal linked maleimido end capped nanotitania reinforced novel polybenzoxazine (nTiO2/PBZ) hybrid nanocomposites

A new class of nanotitania reinforced polybenzoxazine (nTiO2/PBZ) hybrid nanocomposites was synthesized using newly designed phthalide cardo chain extended imine skeletal linked maleimido end capped polybenzoxazine (PHM-PBZ) and nTiO2 through in-situ sol-gel method. The formation of hybrid nanocomposites was confirmed by NMR and FT-IR spectra. The structurally stable nTiO2 present in the nTiO2/PBZ hybrids accounted their exceptional thermal stability and good char yield. The restricted motion of flexible polymeric chain resulted from the inclusion of nTiO2 in the PBZ system increased the glass transition temperature ( T g) to a higher percentage than that of neat PBZ system. With the successive enhancement in the incorporation of nTiO2, the synthesized nanocomposites exhibited better thermal stability, higher flame retardancy and lesser water absorption behaviour than the of neat PBZ. The sequential increments in the loading level of nTiO2 onto the PBZ matrices caused the lower value of dielectric constant than that of neat PBZ. The homogeneity and successful dispersion of the nTiO2 fillers in the PBZ matrix were ascertained from the strong fluorescent emissions observed in the wavelength range of 300–550 nm through optical studies. Scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscopic micrographs evidenced the successful incorporation of nTiO2 as can be seen from the different morphology at the nanoscale level in the PBZ matrix. This kind of structurally designed nTiO2/PBZ nanocomposites may find multifaceted applications in the form of adhesives, encapsulants, matrices and sealants and in the fields of automobile and microelectronics applications for better performance and longevity.

Metal Complexes of the Porphyrin-Functionalized Polybenzoxazine

New porphyrin-functionalized benzoxazine (Por-BZ) in high purity and yield was synthesized in this study based on ¹H and ¹³C NMR and FTIR spectroscopic analyses through the reduction of Schiff base formed from tetrakis(4-aminophenyl)porphyrin (TAPP) and salicylaldehyde and the subsequent reaction with CH₂O. Thermal properties of the product formed through ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of Por-BZ were measured using DSC, TGA and FTIR spectroscopy. Because of the rigid structure of the porphyrin moiety appended to the benzoxazine unit, the temperature required for ROP (314 °C) was higher than the typical Pa-type benzoxazine monomer (ca. 260 °C); furthermore, poly(Por-BZ) possessed a high thermal decomposition temperature (T_d10 = 478 °C) and char yield (66 wt%) after thermal polymerization at 240 °C. An investigation of the thermal and luminescence properties of metal–porphyrin complexes revealed that the insertion of Ni and Zn ions decreased the thermal ROP temperatures of the Por-BZ/Ni and Por-BZ/Zn complexes significantly, to 241 and 231 °C, respectively. The metal ions acted as the effective promoter and catalyst for the thermal polymerization of the Por-BZ monomer, and also improved the thermal stabilities after thermal polymerization.