Phenol-Crotonaldehyde Resins. III. Curing Behavior with Hexamethylenetetramine

Solid thermoplastic resins were prepared by acid-catalyzed condensation of phenol and crotonaldehyde (both crude and distilled). The thermal and curing properties were compared with the conventional phenol-formaldehyde (PF) novolak resins. Phenol-crotonaldehyde (PC) resins were found to be thermoplastic even after curing with the crosslinking agent hexamethylenetetramine up to 160°C. This curing behavior was observed irrespective of the purity of the crotonaldehyde or the phenol-to-crotonaldehyde mole ratio in the resin. Postcuring of these resins at elevated temperatures yielded insoluble and infusible thermoset products. This unique thermal characteristic could lead to interesting processing possibilities for the resins. The technical feasibility of thermoplastic processing of the PC resins followed by postcure heat treatment for transforming the molded part into a thermoset has been demonstrated.     

Determination of molecular weight distributions of novolac resins by gel permeation chromatography

The number- and weight-average molecular weights of several statistical and high ortho novolac resins were determined using gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The standards used were pure compounds having between 2 and 12 phenol units bridged via methylene linkages. Three series of compounds were studied: (i) those with methylene linkages substituted in only the ortho positions relative to the phenolic hydroxyl group; (ii) those in which all para positions, together with sufficient ortho positions, were used to synthesize the compounds; and (iii) those in which the methylene linkages were substituted at a mixture of ortho and para positions. Such compounds, having known molecular architecture and units similar to the segments of industrial novolac resins, provide for a more exact measurement of the molecular weight than do the commonly used poly(styrene) standards. Using these new standards the number average molecular weights of the resins determined by GPC were in good agreement with the average molecular weight obtained by ¹H-NMR spectra of the resins, particularly for low molecular weight resins. GPC analysis of higher molecular weight resins tends to underestimate the molecular weights because of complications introduced by hydrogen bonding. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 1399–1407, 1997     

Alkaline hydrolysis of cured phenol–formaldehyde resins at high temperatures

Hydrolysis of cured phenolic resin, either straight or oil- or epoxy-modified, in dilute caustic at 280–320°C, gives novolac resins in 70–80% recovery. Infrared analysis indicates these novolacs have the same composition as conventional novolacs made by the acid-catalyzed phenol–formaldehyde condensation. Like the conventional novolacs, these recovered resins are soluble in oxygen-containing solvents and form crosslinked infusible thermoset materials when heated with 10% hexamethylenetetramine. Molecular weights of the recovered novolacs, determined by high-pressure liquid chromatography, are dependent on both time and temperature of the hydrolysis. The weight-average molecular weight varied from 270 to 770. The Lowry index values indicate that the molecular weight distribution is narrower for the recovered novolacs than that normally obtained for conventional novolacs. The recovered novolacs have higher melting temperatures than the corresponding commercial novolacs. This is believed to be due to the lower free phenol content of the recovered novolacs.     

Preparation of Lignin-Based High-Ortho Thermoplastic Phenolic Resins and Fibers

Surplus lignin, which is inefficiently used, is generated in the forestry industry. Currently, most studies use lignin instead of phenol to synthesize thermosetting resins which cannot be reprocessed, thus affecting its application field. Thermoplastic phenolic resin has an orderly structure and excellent molding performance, which can greatly improve its application field and economic value. Herein, phenol was partially replaced with enzymolysis lignin (without treatment), generating lignin-based high-ortho thermoplastic phenolic resins (LPRs), and then lignin-based phenolic fibers (LPFs) were prepared by melt spinning. FTIR, ¹³C-NMR and GPC were used to characterize the ortho–para position ratio (O/P value), molecular weight and its distribution (PDI), and rheological properties of the resin. TG, XRD, SEM and tensile property studies were used to determine the thermal stability, orientation, and surface morphology of the fiber. Lignin addition resulted in the decline of the O/P value and molecular weight of the resin. For the 10% LPR, the O/P value, Mw, and PDI were 1.28, 4263, and 2.74, respectively, with the fiber exhibiting relatively good spinnability. The tensile strength and elongation at break of the 10% LPF were 160.9 MPa and 1.9%, respectively. The addition of lignin effectively improved the thermal properties of the fiber, and the carbon yields of 20% LPF before and after curing were 39.7% and 53.6%, respectively, which were 22.2% and 13.7% higher than that of the unmodified fiber, respectively.     

The Reaction Mechanism of the Transetherification and Crosslinking of Melamine Resins

Melamine formaldehyde resins (MFR) are well known resins in the wood board and paper coating market. Etherified MFR's are applied as crosslinkers in the automotive coating industry. In Europe the growth of the market and the research activities are relatively small. On the other side in comparison to other polymers outstanding properties are possible to realize. So the development of new melamine ether resins (MER) was started. MER is a partly methylolated and fully etherified resin with a highly stable “thermoplastic” processing range. The MER's themselves are transparent granulates with enough stability for storage and transport. The crosslinking reaction can be started either by thermal or acidic catalytic activation, without losses of formaldehyde. Transetherifications with oligomeric diols can lead to more elastic and higher molecular melamine polyether resin (MPER) structures. The reaction mechanism and the crosslinking kinetics of the partly methylolated melamine ethers of methanol in comparison to the fully methylolated hexamethylol melamine ether will be discussed in this paper.     

An electrochemical route to phenol–formaldehyde precursors

With the aid of VPC and NMR, the electroinitiated polymerization of phenol or p-tert-butyl phenol with formaldehyde in the presence of basic electrolytes has been investigated over a range of current densities. Results from an electroinitiation study were contrasted with base-catalyzed thermal polymerizations and, except for yield, found to be essentially invariant. GPC of the electroinitiated and thermally polymerized resins indicates similar results with low molecular weight species of relatively narrow molecular weight distribution being the principal products. An electroinitiation mechanism, in agreement with the mechanism for base-catalyzed thermal polymerization is proposed to describe these experimental results.     

共聚结构和分子量对热塑性聚酰亚胺树脂熔融与耐热性能的影响

基于具有刚性主链结构的4,4'-(六氟亚异丙基)双邻苯二甲酸酐/对苯二胺(6FDA/p-PDA)树脂体系, 通过共聚引入间苯二胺(m-PDA)、 4,4'-二氨基-2,2'-双三氟甲基联苯(TFDB)和9,9'-双(4-氨基苯基)芴(BAFL)等主链刚性且兼具大自由体积特性的芳香二胺, 以非反应性封端剂邻苯二甲酸酐(PA)对分子量进行调控, 设计制备了系列分子量可控的热塑性聚酰亚胺(TPI)树脂. 系统研究了共聚结构和分子量对TPI树脂熔融性能和耐热性能的影响, 构建了聚合物的聚集态结构与树脂熔融性能的对应关系, 并对树脂的室温和高温力学性能进行了评价. 研究结果表明, 大自由体积的芳香二胺共聚结构的引入可有效降低分子链堆砌密度, 增大聚合物的自由体积, 从而赋予树脂良好的熔融性能. 降低设计分子量可进一步改善树脂的熔融加工性. 这类具有刚性主链结构的TPI树脂兼具优异的耐热性能和力学性能, 树脂的玻璃化转变温度在308~338 ℃之间, 以TFDB和BAFL共聚制备的TPI-C-25K和TPI-D-25K树脂表现出高强高韧的特性, 拉伸和弯曲强度分别超过120 MPa和190 MPa, 断裂伸长率大于8.2%, 并且在250 ℃高温下表现出良好的耐热稳定性.     

On the Development of Phenol-Formaldehyde Resins Using a New Type of Lignin Extracted from Pine Wood with a Levulinic-Acid Based Solvent

Resole resins have many applications, especially for foam production. However, the use of phenol, a key ingredient in resoles, has serious environmental and economic disadvantages. In this work, lignin extracted from pine wood using a “green” solvent, levulinic acid, was used to partially replace the non-sustainable phenol. The physicochemical properties of this novel resin were compared with resins composed of different types of commercial lignins. All resins were optimized to keep their free formaldehyde content below 1 wt%, by carefully adjusting the pH of the mixture. Substitution of phenol with lignin generally increases the viscosity of the resins, which is further increased with the lignin mass fraction. The addition of lignin decreases the kinetics of gelification of the resin. The type and amount of lignin also affect the thermal stability of the resins. It was possible to obtain resins with higher thermal stability than the standard phenol-formaldehyde resins without lignin. This work provides new insights regarding the development of lignin-based resoles as a very promising sustainable alternative to petrol-based resins.     

Thermoplastic and thermoset main chain liquid crystal polymers prepared from biphenyl mesogen

Main chain liquid crystal thermoplastic polyesters and thermosetting epoxy resins were prepared using biphenyl mesogens. The melting points of the polyesters were effectively decreased by incorporating flexible methylene spacers into the polymer main chain. The liquid crystal epoxy resins exhibit high glass transition temperature, low thermal expansion coefficients, high dielectric strengths, and low dielectric loss. They are suitable for the preparation of self-reinforcing molecular composites. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis of phenol-formaldehyde resol resins using organosolv pine lignins

Lignin was extracted from white pine sawdust by organosolv-extraction using hot-compressed ethanol-water co-solvent. The optimum conditions for extracting lignin from the pine sawdust were found to be at 180 °C with ethanol-water solvent (1:1 wt/wt), where the lignin yield attained ca. 26% with a purity of ca. 83%. The lignin under such conditions was oligomers with a broad molecular weights distribution: M_n of 537, M_w of 1150 and polydispersity of 2.14. Bio-based phenol-formaldehyde resol resins were synthesized using the resultant lignin as the replacement of petroleum-based phenol at varying ratios from 25 to 75 wt.% by condensation polymerization catalyzed by sodium hydroxide. Upon heating the lignin-phenol-formaldehyde resols could solidify with a main exothermic peak at around 150-175 °C, typical of the conventional phenolic resol resins, and a secondary peak at 135-145 °C, likely due to the exothermic reactions between the free formaldehyde with phenol or lignin to form methylophenols. The replacement of phenol with lignin at a large ratio deferred the curing process, and the introduction of lignin in the resin formula decreased the thermal stability of the resin, leading to a lowered decomposition temperature and a reduced amount of carbon residue at elevated temperatures. For practical applications, it is suggested that the replacement ratio of phenol with lignin be less than 50 wt.%. The thermal stability can however be improved by purifying the lignin feedstock before the resin synthesis.     

The Synthesis and Characterization of Resorcinol-Crotonaldehyde Resins

The structure, course of the reaction, and molecular weight distribution for resorcinol-crotonaldehyde resins were determined by HET2DJ ¹³C NMR, ¹H NMR, and GPC. In the first step of the reaction, the free reactive Positions 4 and 6 of resorcinol react with crotonaldehyde. Due to steric hindrance, Position 2 is less reactive in spite of its high electron density. In the next step, addition products react with themselves or monomers to form higher products. Water is eliminated during the reaction. The final molecular weight of the resins is up to 10 000.     

Synthesis,characterization, and antimicrobial activity of some novel poly(ether ketone)s

Low molecular weight poly(ether ketone)s were synthesized from phenol, 1,4‐phenylenedioxy diacetylchloride, chloroacetylchloride, and dichloroalkanes [1,2‐dichloroethane and dichloromethane] by a Friedel–Crafts reaction with anhydrous aluminum chloride as a catalyst and carbon disulfide as a solvent. The conditions for the preparation of the poly(ether ketone)s and the chlorine contents obtained with the Carius method were examined, and a reaction scheme for each resin was established. The molecular weights and polydispersities of the resins were obtained by gel permeation chromatography. The polyketones were characterized by IR spectroscopy. The characteristic frequencies due to different functional groups were assigned. The thermal properties of the resins were studied with thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry. The characteristic temperatures of thermal degradation for the poly(ether ketone)s were evaluated with thermogravimetric analysis. The kinetic parameters for the decomposition reactions of the resins were obtained with Broido and Doyle's method, and the heats of fusion were obtained from differential scanning calorimetry thermograms. The polyketones were thermally stable up to 200 °C. All the polyketones were tested for their microbial properties against bacteria, fungi, and yeast. The effect of poly(ether ketone)s on the growth of these microorganisms was investigated, and the polyketones were found to inhibit the growth of the microorganisms to a considerable extent. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 2335–2344, 2003     

Polyimide–polyformal block copolymers

In an effort to combine and tailor the properties of thermoplastic resins we have investigated the synthesis of polyimide–polyformal block copolymers prepared by the condensation reaction of α,ω-diamino functionalized polyformal oligomers with α,ω-dianhydride terminated polyimide oligomers. Amino functionalized polyformal oligomers were synthesized by displacement condensation reactions of various bisphenols with methylene dihalides in the presence of base and aminophenols. Oligomeric aromatic polyformals having weight average molecular weights (MW_w) of 7500 to 40,000 were obtained. Anhydride terminated polyimide oligomers with molecular weights (MW_w) ranging from 10,000 to 15,000 were obtained by the condensation of bisphenol-A–dianhydride and aromatic amines. Combining the polyimide oligomers with the polyformal oligomers in dipolar aprotic or nonpolar solvents afforded the desired block copolymers. The polyimide–polyformal block copolymers generally display two distinct glass transition temperatures by differential scanning calorimetry. The (AB)_n block copolymers were evaluated by TGA in both air and N₂ for thermal/oxidative stability.     

Low dielectric thermoset. II. Synthesis and properties of novel 2,6‐dimethyl phenol–dipentene epoxy

A 2,6‐dimethyl phenol–dipentene adduct was synthesized from dipentene (DP) and 2,6‐dimethyl phenol, and then a 2,6‐dimethyl phenol–DP epoxy was synthesized from the reaction of the resultant 2,6‐dimethyl phenol–DP adduct and epichlorohydrin. The proposed structures were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared, elemental analysis, mass spectra, NMR spectra, and epoxy equivalent weight titration. The synthesized 2,6‐dimethyl phenol–DP adduct was cured with 4,4‐diamino diphenyl methane, phenol novolac, 4,4‐diamino diphenyl sulfone, and 4,4‐diamino diphenyl ether. The thermal properties of the cured epoxy resins were studied with differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis, dielectric analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis. These data were compared with those for the bisphenol A epoxy system. The cured 2,6‐dimethyl phenol–DP epoxy exhibited a lower dielectric constant (ca. 3.1), a lower dissipation factor (ca. 0.065), a lower modulus, lower thermal stability (5% degradation temperature = 366–424 °C), and lower moisture absorption (1.21–2.18%) than the bisphenol A system but a higher glass‐transition temperature (ca. 173–222 °C) than that of bisphenol A system. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 4084–4097, 2002     

热改质过程中渣油结构及其重组分溶剂化变化规律研究

以委内瑞拉减压渣油为原料,采用微型反应釜,研究了其在410℃、2.0 MPa氮气初压下,不同反应停留时间的热改质过程生成油的化学结构组成及其重组分溶剂化变化规律。通过1H-NM R技术研究了热改质过程生成油中沥青质和重胶质不同化学位移归属氢的转化路径;并结合改进的Brown-Ladner法分析了热改质过程生成油中沥青质和重胶质的平均分子结构参数变化;采用蒸汽压渗透法考察了热改质过程生成油中沥青质和重胶质在甲苯溶液中所形成的复合超分子结构的平均相对分子质量。结果表明,随着热改质程度的加深,沥青质和重胶质的H/C原子比减小,供氢能力逐渐下降,沥青质和重胶质的芳香环共轭程度和fA在体系生焦后(45 min)显著提高;沥青质的聚集趋势相关值在热改质15 min前变化不大,15 min后显著增强,而重胶质在整个热改质过程中,其聚集趋势相关值的增势较为缓和;沥青质和重胶质的聚集趋势相关值差异逐渐增大,15 min时增加了1.5%、25 min时增加了50.8%、45 min时增加了142.3%,表明沥青质和重胶质的结构差异越来越明显;重胶质溶剂化沥青质的能力逐步减弱,体系的溶剂化参数从0时的32.9%逐步降到15 min时的29.5%、25 min时的14.1%和45 min时的9.6%;热改质生成油的斑点实验等级逐渐增加,体系的胶体稳定性逐渐降低。     

乙炔基封端聚酰亚胺增韧改性的相结构

以双酚A二醚二酐(BPADA)和3乙-炔苯胺(APA)为原料,通过两步法合成一种热固性可交联的聚酰亚胺预聚体.将此预聚体分别与不同结构的热塑性聚酰亚胺(PI)共混,对其进行增韧改性,通过调控热塑性聚酰亚胺的质量分数,引入结构相似且含有更多柔性基团的热塑性聚酰亚胺(如含有醚键和对称甲基结构的二酐),得到了热固/热塑性聚酰亚胺复合膜.利用差示扫描量热仪(DSC)及扫描电镜(SEM)对该体系的相分离结构和相容性进行研究,并讨论其机械性能和热性能.结果表明,相分离结构使体系的机械性能得到改善,同时也保持了原有的优异热性能.     

Phenol‐urea‐formaldehyde cocondensed resol resins: Their synthesis,curing kinetics,and network properties

Several phenol‐urea‐formaldehyde (PUF) cocondensed resol resins were synthesized by different procedures. The curing kinetics and network properties of these PUF resins were examined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA). A kinetic study indicated that the activation energy values of PUF resins are generally higher than those of phenol‐formaldehyde (PF) resins during curing processes, but the curing rates of PUF resins are faster than those of PF resins. The pH values of PUF systems have a significant influence on the rate constants, although they affect the activation energy very slightly. Moreover, the dependence of activation energy on the conversion showed that there are more individual reactions with different activation energies occurring during the curing processes in PUF resins than in PF resins. The decomposition of methylene ether bridges to form methylene bridges probably occurs at high temperature in PUF resins. DMTA data indicated that the network rigidity of PUF resins is slightly lower than that of PF resin. The gel point and T_{tan δ2} transition measured by DMTA were consistent with the kinetic results obtained from the DSC data, but they were also related to the physical and mechanical properties of the network, especially with regard to the T_{tan δ2} transition. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 1929–1938, 2003     

Horseradish peroxidase‐based hybrid nanoflowers with enhanced catalytical activities for polymerization reactions of phenol derivatives

Catalytic activity and stability of HRP‐Cu²⁺ hybrid nanoflowers (hCu‐NFs) in the polymerization reactions of phenol derivatives was investigated. It was observed that the catalytic activity and stability of hybrid nanoflowers on the polymerization of the phenol derivatives was considerably higher compared to free Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) enzyme. The hCu‐NFs effectively polymerized phenolic compounds as a novel nanobiocatalyst and led to polymers having quite high yields, molecular weights, and thermal stabilities compared to free HRP enzyme. The hCu‐NFs provide substantial repeated use and showed some degree of catalytic activity even after fourth cycle experiment in the polymerization reactions.     

Meltable phenylethynyl-capped oligoimide resins derived from 1,4-bis(4-amino-2-trifluoromethylphenoxy)benzene and 3,4′-oxydianiline

A series of meltable oligoimide resins with controlled molecular weights by reactive phenylethynyl endcapping groups have been prepared by the thermal polycondensation of 3,3′,4,4′-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride (s-BPDA) with the aromatic diamine mixtures consisting of different mole ratios of 1,4-bis(4-amino-2-trifluoromethylphenoxy)benzene (1,4,4-6FAPB) and 3,4′-oxydianiline (3,4′-ODA) in the presence of 4-phenylethynylphthalic anhydride (PEPA) as molecular weight-controlling and reactive endcapping reagent. Experimental results indicated that the molecular weight-controlled oligoimide resins were mixtures containing a series of biphenylethynyl-endcapped oligoimides with different chemical structures and different molecular weights. The typical oligoimide resins could be melted at temperatures of 300 °C to yield stable molten fluid with melt viscosity of 13.4 Pa s, which was suitable for melt processing. The molten oligoimide resins could be further polymer chain extended and crosslinked by thermal curing of the reactive phenylethynyl groups to give strong and tough thermosetted polyimides. Thus, the oligoimide resin with calculated molecular weight of 2500 exhibited not only good meltability with low melt viscosity, but also high melt stability and fluidability at temperatures of <300 °C. After thermal curing, the obtained thermosetted polyimide showed high glass transition temperature (>316 °C, DMA), excellent thermal stability with initial thermal decomposition temperature of 588 °C and good mechanical properties with flexural strength of 159.1 MPa, flexural moduli of 3.3 GPa, tensile strength of 94.7 MPa and elongation at breakage of 9.0%.     

Synthesis of Polymers by Using Divalent Metal Salts of Mono(hydroxyethyl)phthalate: Metal-Containing Unsaturated Polyesters with Pendent Methacrylate Groups

Syntheses of novel metal-containing unsaturated polyesters having pendent methacrylate groups obtained by use of divalent metal salts of mono(hydroxyethyl)phthalate-maleic anhydride (MA)-glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) reactions were investigated. The yields were generally high. The metal-containing polyesters obtained were slightly yellow-brown solids, and the molecular weights ranged from 1546 to 2174, depending on the mole ratio of feed. Among them, the polyesters obtained at a feed mole ratio of metal salt:MA:GMA of 1:8:8 were miscible with methyl methacrylate (MMA), giving homogeneous solutions suitable for copolymerization, and the polyesters could be easily cross-linked with MMA to give cured resins. The metal-containing cured polyester resins showed excellent physical properties. Resistance of the resins to chemical attack and boiling water and thermal behavior are also discussed.