Issue 82, 2015

High thermo-responsive shape memory epoxies based on substituted biphenyl mesogenic with good water resistance

Abstract

In this work, a novel epoxy monomer denoted as 3,5′-di-t-butyl-5,3′-dimethyl biphenyl diglycidyl ether (t-BuMBPDGE) was synthesized and applied into in situ composites with 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethyl-4,4′-biphenyl diglycidyl ether (TMBPDGE), accompanied with curing agent aromatic amines. The liquid crystalline phase structure and the crosslink density of substituted biphenyl epoxies were determined by polarized optical microscopy, wide angle X-ray diffraction measurements and dynamic storage moduli data. The samples showed good mechanical properties and could recover quickly from a second state to their initial states with a shape fixity ratio higher than 98% and shape recovery ratio higher than 99%, owing to the oriented structure and increased crosslink network density caused by the orientation of biphenyl mesogenic. The high glass transition temperatures ranging from 160 to 178 °C and good water resistance could contribute to a stable fixed shape. The water resistance is analyzed by contact angles test. The samples exhibited contact angles of 92–98 degrees, which indicated that the water resistance was apparently better than that of conventional epoxy systems.

Graphical abstract: High thermo-responsive shape memory epoxies based on substituted biphenyl mesogenic with good water resistance

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
09 Jun 2015
Accepted
30 Jul 2015
First published
31 Jul 2015

RSC Adv., 2015,5, 67247-67257

Author version available

High thermo-responsive shape memory epoxies based on substituted biphenyl mesogenic with good water resistance

H. Guo, Y. Li, J. Zheng, J. Gan, L. Liang, K. Wu and M. Lu, RSC Adv., 2015, 5, 67247 DOI: 10.1039/C5RA10957D

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