Enhanced Thermal Property and Flame Retardancy via Intramolecular 5-Membered Ring Hydrogen Bond-Forming Amide Functional Benzoxazine Resins

Synthesis of a triptycene-containing dioxazine benzoxazine monomer and a main-chain triptycene-polydimethysiloxane-benzoxazine copolymer with excellent comprehensive properties

A novel triptycene-containing dioxazine benzoxazine monomer and a main-chain benzoxazine copolymer have been synthesized and their corresponding thermosets exhibit excellent thermal stability, low flammability and low dielectric constants.

Self-Polymerization Promoting Monomers: In Situ Transformation of Disulfide-Linked Benzoxazines into the Thiazolidine Structure

Polybenzoxazines obtained especially from green synthons are facing challenges of the requirement of high ring-opening polymerization (ROP) temperature of the monomer, thus affecting their exploration at the industrial front. This demands effective structural changes in the monomer itself, to mediate catalyst-free polymerization at a low energy via one-step synthesis protocol. In this regard, monomers based on disulfide-linked bisbenzoxazine were successfully synthesized using cystamine (biobased) and cardanol (agro-waste)/phenol. Reduction of the disulfide bridge in the monomer using dithiothreitol under mild conditions in situ transformed the oxazine ring in the monomer, via neighboring group participation of the -SH group in a transient intermediate monomer, into a thiazolidine structure, which is otherwise difficult to synthesize. Structural transformation of ring-opening followed by the ring-closing intramolecular reaction led to an interconversion of O-CH₂-N containing a six-membered oxazine ring to S-CH₂-N containing a five-membered thiazolidine ring and a phenolic-OH. The structure of the monomer with the oxazine ring and its congener with the thiazolidine ring was characterized by spectroscopic methods and X-ray analysis. Kinetics of structural transformation at a molecular level is studied in detail, and it was found that the reaction proceeded via a transient 2-aminoethanethiol-linked benzoxazine intermediate, as supported by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and density functional theory studies. The thiazolidine-ring-containing monomer promotes ROP at a substantially low temperature than the reported mono-/bisoxazine monomers due to the dual mode of facilitation of the ROP reaction, both by phenolic-OH and by ring strain. Surprisingly, both the monomer structures led to the formation of a similar polymer structure, as supported by thermogravimetric analysis and Fourier transform infrared study. The current work highlights the benefits of inherent functionalities in naturally sourced feedstocks as biosynthons for the new latest generation of benzoxazine monomers.

Development of a fully bio-based hyperbranched benzoxazine

A fully bio-based hyperbranched benzoxazine derived from renewable raw materials exhibits excellent thermal properties.

Design of High-Performance Polybenzoxazines with Tunable Extended Networks Based on Resveratrol and Allyl Functional Benzoxazine

A novel resveratrol-based bio-benzoxazine monomer (RES-al) containing an allyl group has been synthesized using resveratrol, allylamine, and paraformaldehyde via Mannich condensation reaction, and its chemical structures have been characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy and NMR techniques. The polymerization behavior of this benzoxazine resin has been investigated using in situ FT-IR and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) measurements, and the thermal-mechanical properties of its corresponding polybenzoxazines are evaluated by DMA and TGA. We show that by controlling the curing process of the oxazine ring, the C=C bond in resveratrol, and the allyl group in RES-al, the cross-linking network of the polybenzoxazine can be manipulated, giving rise to tunable performance of thermosets. As all curable functionalities in RES-al are polymerized, the resulted polybenzoxazine exhibits a good thermal stability with a Tg temperature of 313 °C, a T_d5 value of 352 °C, and char yield of 53% at 800 °C under N₂.

N-Activated 1,3-Benzoxazine Monomer as a Key Agent in Polybenzoxazine Synthesis

A novel and successful application of ring-closing reactions of aminophenols has been proposed for the formation of a new type of 1,3-benzoxazine ionic derivatives. The optimization of the reaction and detailed computational studies have been reported for the estimation of heterocyclic ring stability and its further transformation, which is crucial in the polymerization process. The molecular structure of the obtained compounds has been fully characterized by applying X-ray analysis and spectroscopic methods. The novel benzoxazines undergo an intriguing thermal reaction leading to classical benzoxazines and chloroalkanes, which is the first step of transformation before polymerization. To gain more insights into the transformation behavior of ionic benzoxazine derivatives, the Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra of gaseous products were recorded in experiments with near simultaneous FT-IR/TGA measurements. The combination of thermogravimetry with FT-IR spectroscopy enables the quantitative and qualitative characterization of thermal transformation products and clarification of the reaction mechanism. The experimental data have been verified by applying DFT(B3LYP) and DFT(M062x) theoretical studies.

A naringenin-based benzoxazine with an intramolecular hydrogen bond as both a thermal latent polymerization additive and property modifier for epoxy resins

Epoxy resins are constantly attracting attention from industrial applications due to their excellent comprehensive properties. However, the traditional curing agents for liquid epoxy resins react with epoxides even at room temperature, which causes difficulties in processing since such mixtures cannot be directly used as single-component materials. In order to improve the shelf life of the mixtures, we have designed an intramolecular hydrogen bond-containing benzoxazine monomer as a smart thermal latent polymerization agent for epoxy resins. The newly obtained benzoxazine, NAR-a, has been synthesized from the Mannich condensation of naringenin, aniline and paraformaldehyde. In addition to playing the role of a curing agent, NAR-a has also performed as an excellent property modifier for epoxy thermosetting systems. The resulting thermoset based on the NAR-a/epoxy thermosetting system exhibits high thermal stability and good intrinsic flame retardance, with a T _g temperature of 201 °C, a T _d5 temperature of 349 °C, a low CET value (32.4 ppm per °C) and low heat release capacity (HRC of 159.1 J g^-1 K^-1). The combined long-term storage stability and versatility of the intramolecular hydrogen bond-containing benzoxazine/epoxy system provide a new strategy for the development of one-component epoxy-related thermosetting resins for application in high-performance areas.

Developing Further Versatility in Benzoxazine Synthesis via Hydrolytic Ring-Opening

In this study, 2-(aminomethyl)phenol and its derivatives, the reactants for 2-substituted 1,3-benzoxazines, are synthesized by HCl hydrolysis from the typical benzoxazines. The phenol/aniline-based mono-oxazine benzoxazine, PH-a, and the bisphenol A/aniline-based bis-oxazine benzoxazine, BA-a, are used as examples to demonstrate the feasibility of this new approach. Their chemical structures are characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopies, and are further verified by elementary analysis. Their thermal properties are studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). These two 2-(aminomethyl) phenolic derivatives are reacted with paraformaldehyde to close the oxazine rings. A benzoxazine with a phenyl substituent at the 2-position of the oxazine ring is obtained from the 2-((phenylamino)methyl)phenol (hPH-a) and benzaldehyde. All these results highlight the success of the HCl hydrolysis and the formation of stable intermediates, namely 2-(aminomethyl) phenolic derivatives, from readily available benzoxazine monomers. This further demonstrates the feasibility of using these intermediates as reactants for a novel benzoxazine synthesis.

Electronic effects of asymmetric and meta-alkoxy substituents on the polymerization behavior of bis-benzoxazines

Three isomers of benzoxazine monomers based on m-alkoxyphenol and 4,4′-methylenedianiline were synthesized and successfully isolated by column chromatography.

Bioinspired Design Provides High-Strength Benzoxazine Structural Adhesives

A synthetic strategy to incorporate catechol functional groups into benzoxazine thermoset monomers was developed, leading to a family of bioinspired small-molecule resins and main-chain polybenzoxazines derived from biologically available phenols. Lap-shear adhesive testing revealed a polybenzoxazine derivative with greater than 5 times improved shear strength on aluminum substrates compared to a widely studied commercial benzoxazine resin. Derivative synthesis identified the catechol moiety as an important design feature in the adhesive performance and curing behavior of this bioinspired thermoset. Favorable mechanical properties comparable to commercial resin were maintained, and glass transition temperature and char yield under nitrogen were improved. Blending of monomers with bioinspired main-chain polybenzoxazine derivatives provided formulations with enhanced shear adhesive strengths up to 16 MPa, while alloying with commercial core-shell particle-toughened epoxy resins led to shear strengths exceeding 20 MPa. These results highlight the utility of bioinspired design and the use of biomolecules in the preparation of high-performance thermoset resins and adhesives with potential utility in transportation and aerospace industries and applications in advanced composites synthesis.