Free volume hole size of Cyanate ester resin/Epoxy resin interpenetrating networks and its correlations with physical properties

Cyanate ester (CE) resin was blended with epoxy resin (EP) at different mass ratios (CE/EP: 100/0, 90/10, 70/30, 50/50, 30/70, 10/90, and 0/100). The curing process of the blend system was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Examination of the mechanical properties, thermal stability, and morphology of the blend systems showed that addition of epoxy resin resulted in improved toughness but a little sacrifice in thermal stability when compared with neat CE. The free volume size of the blend system determined by positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) decreased with the epoxy resin content, which is consistent with the chemical structure changes for the copolymerization between CE and EP. The crosslinking units of curing products (oxazoline, oxazolidinone, and polyether network) of the blends are all smaller in size than those of triazine ring structure from neat CE. Therefore, the free volume size of the blends decreases with increase of EP content. The correlations between the free volume properties and other physical properties (thermal stability and mechanical properties) have also been discussed.