Effect of structure of bridging group on curing and properties of bisphenol-A based novolac epoxy resins

Three bisphenol-A based novolac epoxy resins with different bridging groups: methylene, methinephenyl and methine-naphthyl, respectively, between bisphenol-A phenyl rings were prepared to study the effect of structure of bridging group on curing and properties of the epoxy resins. The structures of the obtained epoxy resins were characterized using FT-IR and H-1 NMR spectra, the molecular weight and polydispersity index were determined using GPC. The effect of bridging groups on the curing kinetics, thermal mechanical properties, thermal stability, and moisture resistance of the synthesized epoxy resins cured with 4,4'-diaminodiphenyl sulphone (DDS) were investigated by dynamic differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction and moisture absorption measurement. It was concluded that the methylene-bridged epoxy resin possessed the highest curing reaction reactivity toward DDS and the methine-naphthyl-bridged epoxy network possessed the highest storage modulus, glass transition temperatures, thermal stability, and moisture resistance.