Silane functionalization of perfluoroether oligomers for reaction management and morphology control of two-phase epoxy networks

Mixtures of an epoxy resin, hardener, and acid functionalized perfluoroether oligomers will readily undergo phase separation during curing. However, the conditions to bring about the growth of nuclei into microscopic particles have hitherto been found only for systems cured with anhydrides. In the present study perfluoroether oligomers were functionalized by established procedures to introduce both carboxylic acid groups and alkoxysilane groups in sites within the chain extended segments. The presence of alkoxysilane groups together with the prereaction step with an excess epoxy resin, prior to the addition of the aromatic amine hardener, induced phase separation by a nucleation-and-growth mechanism. The dual functionality in the perfluoroether oligomer was even more beneficial when the alkoxysilane groups were hydrolyzed prior to the addition of the amine hardener. Under such circumstances the precipitation of the perfluoroether oligomer occurred quantitatively, as indicated by the complete absence of any plasticization effects in the epoxy matrix. From electron microscopy examinations, thermal analysis, and measurements of mechanical properties it was possible to deduce a plausible mechanism for the formation of the typical core-shell aggregates within the precipitated particles for these systems, which could also be applied to other systems, such as those using carboxylic-acid-terminated butadiene acrylonitrile oligomers.