Phase separation of poly(ether sulfone imide) modified epoxy resin

Poly(ether sulfone imide)s (PEI) with molecular weight M(n) similar to 10(4) were synthesized from 3,3',4,4'-benzophenone tetracarboxylic dianhydride and amine terminated poly(ether sulfone) having molecular weights ranging from M(n) similar to 400 to M(n) similar to 4000. Thus, the PEIs had the same molecular weight but various imide and ether sulfone contents. The PEIs were mixed with a stoichiometric mixture of diglycidyl ether bis-phenol-A (DGEBA)/diamino diphenyl sulfone (DDS). The effect of PEI on the curing reaction of DGEBA/DDS and the morphology of the polymer blend were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and optical microscopy. In the DGEBA/DDS/PEI blend with a fixed PEI molecular weight and PEI concentration but with various imide content, the experimental data revealed the PEI with a higher content of ether sulfone had a lower T-g and a better compatibility with solvents and epoxy resins; the curing reaction rate of DGEBA/DDS/PEI was faster for PEI with a higher imide content; the DSC data of cured DGEBA/DDS/PEI showed two T(g)s, indicating phase separation between PEI and cured epoxy resins; and the data of optical microscopy showed that the compatibility of PEI with epoxy resins increased with the content of ether sulfone in PEI. (C) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.