Moisture Absorption by Cyanate Ester Modified Epoxy Resin Matrices: Effect of Resin Structure

摘要

Functionality is defined as the number of reactive functional groups per unit mass of resin. The functionality of resin has a profound effect on the physical properties of thermosetting materials, and for hydrophilic systems influences the rate of moisture diffusion and the equilibrium moisture concentration. Both were found to increase in magnitude as the functionality of the epoxy resin in cyanate ester/epoxy blend was increased. The tetra functional epoxy (MY 720) gives a more polar network than the di-functional (Epon 828) epoxy and hence a greater affinity towards water, and a higher moisture concentration.