Microphase separation in a cross-linked epoxy phenol polymer

The microphase separation on the surface of samples of a cross-liked epoxy phenol (EP) polymer produced by the curing of a composition containing an epoxy diane oligomer (EO) and a phenol formaldehyde oligomer (PO) has been investigated using electron microscopy with decoration by silver chloride. It has been shown that, in the cross-liked EP polymer, there is a quasi-lattice of mixed-type AgCl nanoparticles, which consists of two sublattices. The formation of simple lattices of particles is caused by the microphase separation according to the type of nucleation and growth of fractal clusters of the cross-liked EO; the spinodal decomposition in the binary system; and the formation of interpenetrating polymer networks represented by the superposition of two lattices of particles or two infinite phase clusters (cross-liked EO and PO, respectively).