Novel resin curing agents

Abstract

A curable resin comprising a curing agent, wherein the curing agent comprises an adjustable structural unit having a stable chain-like arrangement which is adjustable to a stable ring-like arrangement, wherein the ring-like arrangement comprises the constituents of the chain-like arrangement with two terminal constituents exhibiting an attractive chemical interaction, and is adjustable back from the ring-like arrangement to the chain-like arrangement by separation of the two terminal constituents.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to novel resins and curing agents capable of providing cured resins having both good toughness and a high glass transition temperature. Background technique [0002] Curable resin systems are well known and find widespread use in many technical fields. These resin systems work through a reaction between the resin molecules and the curing agent. Once activated, such as by mixing together or by heating, the functional groups on the curing agent react with the functional groups on the resin molecules to form an extended polymer network, a process known as curing. [0003] The physical properties of the obtained cured resin mainly or entirely depend on the selection of the resin, the selection of the curing agent and the curing method adopted. By varying one or more of these variables, a wide variety of physical properties can be obtained. [0004] Particularly useful physical properties for cured resins are mechanically to...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0005] However, it is well known that, in general, tough cured resins tend to have low glass transition temperatures, making them unsuitable for use in structures

Known methods of increasing the glass transition temperature generally make the material brittle, which in turn makes it unsuitable for use in structures

Furthermore, known methods of increasing the toughness of brittle resins often also lower the glass transition temperature

[0006] From this it appears that with known resin systems it is not easy to achieve a resin system that is both mechanically tough and has a high glass transition temperature to enable its use in structural applications

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