Influence of copolymer’s end group and molecular weight on the rheological and thermomechanical properties of epoxy/thermoplastic blends

In this paper, we present a study on theproperties of epoxy resins blended with copolyethersulfones.Several copolyethersulphones were synthesized byvarying the molecular weights and the end groups. Theobtained thermoplastics were then mixed with diglycidylether of biphenol A (DGBEA) (15% wt ratio), cured withmethylene bis(2,6-diethylanine) (MDEA), and the resultingblends characterized by the use of dynamic thermal mechanicalanalysis (DMTA), rheometry, and fracture mechanicstests. The morphology of the blends was studied by the useof scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The different molecularweights of the copolymers had a significant effect onthe rheological and thermomechanical properties of the resins,as well as the different end groups on the reaction rateand on the thermomechanical properties of the blends