Preparation and properties of new high performance maleimide-triazine resins for resin transfer molding

High performance matrix is the key base for preparing advanced composites via resin transfer molding (RTM). A novel high performance modified maleimide-triazine (BT) resin system ( coded as MBT) for RTM was developed, which is made of 4,4'-bismaleimidodi- phenylmethane, o,o'-diallylbisphenol A, 2,2'-bis (4-cyanatophenyl) isopropylidene, and hyperbranched polysiloxane (HBPSi). The effects of HBPSi on the processing and performance parameters of MBT system are evaluated. Results show that the processing characteristics of the MBT system are greatly dependent on the content of HBPSi in the system, while three MBT resins developed in this paper have significantly better integrated properties than BT resin. For example, compared to original BT resin, MBT resins have enlarged pot life (>8 hr) and good reactivity; more interestingly, cured MBT resins exhibit better dielectric properties and moisture resistance; in addition, MBT resins with suitable content of HBPSi have improved flexural and impact strengths as well as outstanding thermal property, suggesting that MBT system is the right kind of matrices with great potentiality for fabricating advanced structural and functional composites via RTM technique. Copyright (C) 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.