Highly branched benzoxazine monomer based on cyclotriphosphazene: Synthesis and properties of the monomer and polybenzoxazines

A hyperbranched organic-inorganic hybrid benzoxazine monomer based on cyclotriphosphazene (CP) has been synthesized, which possesses six organic benzoxazine moieties distributed on the inorganic ring of CP. The high molecular weight (1491 g/mol) monomer showed excellent solubility in common organic solvents. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used to study the thermal ring-opening polymerization reaction of the novel benzoxazine monomer. FT-IR spectrum implied that the characteristic absorption peaks of the benzoxazine ring disappeared completely after curing at 240 degrees C for 1 h, which illustrated that the completion of polymerization reaction. DSC plots indicated that the melting point of the new monomer was 77 degrees C and an exothermic peak was 225 degrees C owing to the ring-opening polymerization of the monomer. Due to its highly steric crosslinking structure with rigid and thermal stable inorganic CP as the core, the polybenzoxazine based on the new monomer showed excellent thermal stability and mechanic properties. The char yield of the polymer at 850 degrees C was 66.9% in nitrogen, and the Tg of the polybenzoxazine was 152 degrees C. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.