Study on the Thermal Properties of Epoxy Resin Reinforced with Arylidene-based Polybenzoxazine

In this study, a new bis-arylidene derived benzoxazine: 2,6-bis((3-(2-hydroxyethyl)-3,4-dihydro-2H-benzo[e]  [1,3]oxazin-6-yl)methylene)cyclohexanone (HEB) was synthesized from its precursor: 2,6-bis(4 hydroxybenzylidene)cyclohexanone (BCH). The BCH was obtained as an aldocondensation product of cyclo hexanone and 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, in an acid catalysed organic medium. Both HEB and BCH were charac terised using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopic tech niques to ascertain the structural features of the targeted products. Different weight ratios of HEB (0,10, 20, 30,  and 40%) were added into an epoxy resin to form the modified epoxy materials; ME-0%, ME-10%, ME-20%,  ME-30%, and ME-40%, respectively. The thermal behaviour of the modified epoxy resins was investigated us ing thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The result obtained showed enhanced thermal properties of the modi fied epoxy materials over the native epoxy resin. The outcome further showed better performance with higher  content of the modifier