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Mechanical and thermal properties of mesogen-jacketed liquid crystalline polymer/epoxy resin composites

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Abstract

The effects of mesogen-jacketed liquid crystalline polymer poly(dipropyl vinylterephthalate) (PDPVT) on the mechanical and thermal properties of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA) epoxy resin were investigated by impact test, tensile test and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The mechanism underlying the enhancement of mechanical properties of epoxy resin was studied using 1D wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). It was found that the mechanical properties of 1 wt%–5 wt% PDPVT/DGEBA composites were significantly improved compared to neat epoxy resin. Especially, the epoxy resin with 3 wt% PDPVT had the greatest increase in mechanical properties, with the impact strength, tensile strength and elongation while breaking increased by 87%, 59% and 174%, respectively. The increased mechanical strength was due to the fact that PDPVT maintained liquid crystalline phase in cured PDPVT/DGEBA composites, which would blunt the crack tip and prevent crack propagation. Moreover, PDPVT had slight effect on the thermal stability properties of epoxy resin.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Material Science and Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China

    Chunpeng Chai, Fangfang Yin, Guoping Li & Yunjun Luo

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  1. Chunpeng Chai
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  2. Fangfang Yin
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  3. Guoping Li
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  4. Yunjun Luo
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Correspondence to Chunpeng Chai or Yunjun Luo.

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Chai, C., Yin, F., Li, G. et al. Mechanical and thermal properties of mesogen-jacketed liquid crystalline polymer/epoxy resin composites. Sci. China Chem. 58, 1021–1026 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11426-015-5372-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11426-015-5372-3

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