Dual-curing thermosetting monomer containing both propargyl ether and phthalonitrile groups

Novel self-curing monomer containing two thermosetting groups, namely propargyl ether and phthalonitrile (PN) in a molecular structure, is synthesized and investigated. The study of catalyzed and uncatalyzed curing is performed and high heat release during curing is observed. This disadvantage can be adjusted by catalysis of propargyl ether polymerization with Ni (II), Co (II), and Cu (II) salts. The cured monomer possesses high thermal properties featured to phthalonitrile matrices (Heat deflection temperature, HDT=428 C-omicron, T-5%=499 C-omicron) and moderate mechanical properties (E54.9 +/- 0.65 GPa, GIC=106 +/- 26 J/m(2)), it can be applied as a high temperature matrix for carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP). Low melt viscosity (223 mPa s at 120 C-omicron) of the monomer provides a possibility to consider its application for composite material formation by vacuum infusion or resin transfer molding (RTM) techniques, which are exceptionally rarely applied for matrices with HDT> 300 C-omicron but allow to obtain composites of complex shape with minimal joining parts. (C) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.