Physicochemical and mechanical interfacial properties of trifluorometryl groups containing epoxy resin cured with amine

A phenyl-trifluoromethyl (-Ph-CF3) groups modified epoxy resin, diglycidylether of bisphenol A-fluorine (DGEBA-F), was synthesized and the physical properties, such as curing behaviors, thermal stabilities, and dielectric constant of the DGEBA-F/4,4'-diaminodiphenyl methane (DDM) system were investigated and compared with commercial DGEBA/DDM system. For the mechanical behaviors of the specimens, the fracture toughness and impact tests were performed, and their fractured surfaces were examined by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The dielectric constant values of the DGEBA-F/DDM system were lower than those of the DGEBA/DDM system and the mechanical properties of the casting DGEBA-F specimens were higher than those of the DGEBA specimens. This was probably due to the fact that the introduction of the -Ph-CF3 groups into the side chain of the epoxy resin resulted in improving the electrical properties and toughness of the cured DGEBA-F epoxy resin. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.