Thermal Properties, Fracture Toughness and Water Absorption of Epoxy-Palm Oil Blends

摘要

Epoxidized palm oil (EPO) was blended with cycloaliphatic epoxide, epoxy novolac and diglycidyl ethers of bisphenol-A. The fracture toughness and thermal properties of epoxy/EPO blends were characterized using single-edge notched bending tests and differential scanning calorimetry. Increased EPO loading improved the fracture toughness (K _IC ) of the epoxy blends. The epoxy blends with higher EPO loading exhibited higher degree of conversion. The glass transition temperature (T _g ) of the epoxy blends shifted to higher temperature as the increasing of DSC heating rate. Water absorption caused T _g reduction of epoxy blends but it was determined that the water molecules absorbed were totally reversible.