DETERMINATION OF THE EFFECT OF STOICHIOMETRY ON CURING AND SELECTED PROPERTIES OF THE LIQUID CRYSTALLINE EPOXY RESIN COMPOSITIONS

Abstract

The crosslinking process of the liquid-crystalline epoxy resin bis[4-(10,11-epoxyundecanoyloxy)benzoate] p-phenelene was described. The aromatic amine 4,4’-diaminodiphenylmethane (DDM) was used as a curing agent. The stoichiometry of MU22/DDM composition was varied; the molar ratio of amine hydrogen - epoxy groups ranged from 0,8 to 1,2. The reaction was monitored by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), conversion was estimated using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. The crosslinking process was carried out without and with magnetic field. The thermal, thermomechanical properties and morphology of MU22/DDM (1/0,8), MU22/DDM (1/1) and MU22/DDM (1/1,2) compositions were studied with use of DSC, DMA and
WAXS techniques. Orientation of mesogenic groups in magnetic field was confirmed during WAXS analysis.