| Abstract: | A bisphenol-A diglycidyl ether resin, cured with isophorone-diamine at 60°C, was modified by means of preformed core-shell acrylic rubber particles. Blends with rubber contents up to 30 phr by wt were tested. The fracture toughness depended linearly on the amount of rubber and significant improvement was found. No deterioration of temperature resistance was also observed. The viscosity of resin/modifier mixtures was controlled by means of antifoaming agents. A comparison with liquid acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymers showed that core-shell particles are efficacious tougheners. The effect of a bimodal particle size distribution was considered. In the size range investigated (0.2+5μm) no synergic effect was observed. |
