Properties of methyltetrahydrophthalic anhydride‐cured epoxy resin modified with MITU

Methylimidazole‐terminated chain‐extended urea (MITU) containing polypropylene oxide spacer was synthesized and employed to modify epoxies composed of a diglycidyl ether of bisphenol‐A (E‐51) and methyltetrahydrophthalic anhydride (MTHPA). The curing behavior, viscoelastic property, impact response, and fracture surface morphology of the curing systems were systematically investigated. Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) analysis reveals that the curing reactivity of the epoxy system is greatly enhanced with the addition of MITU. From the dynamic mechanical analysis, besides the low‐temperature β relaxation, shoulder at higher temperature side appears for the MITU‐modified systems. Meanwhile, the addition of MITU leads to the increase of loss factor (tan δ) over the temperature range of 0–75°C. Impact tests show that the modifier can be effective in toughening the epoxy resin at relatively low loading, and the scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of the fracture surface for the modified systems display signs of ductility. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.