High heat resistance and neutron shielding performance epoxy with carborane hybridized crosslinked network

• Published in: Progress in organic coatings Vol. 193
• Main Authors: Xu, Ran, Chen, Fei, Luo, Yinfu, Yan, Liwei, Zhou, Chuxiang, Chen, Yang, Liang, Mei, Wu, Ying, Pan, Xiaoqiang, Yang, Jing, Heng, Zhengguang, Zou, Huawei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.08.2024
• Subjects: Carborane; Heat resistance; High glass transition temperature; Neutron shielding; Heat resistance; High glass transition temperature; Carborane; Neutron shielding
• ISSN: 0300-9440; 1873-331X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.porgcoat.2024.108565

Epoxy resin has gained significant attention in aviation equipment, coatings and electronic packaging materials due to its exceptional processability, adhesion and mechanical properties. However, its thermal resistance property and glass transition temperature (Tg) were relatively lower than cyanate resin (CE), polyimides (PI) and phenolic resins (PF), which largely restricts its application range. In this work, we had developed a new structural heat-and-shielding integrated epoxy resin via the design of carboranes-epoxy network. Benefiting from the structure of carborane, the thermal residual weight of the obtained epoxy reached 64.57 %, with a carbon atom protection rate of 45.47 % in air atmosphere at 800 °C, showing better thermal resistance property than most CE, PI and PF. And the Tg of the new epoxy was not observed within the tested temperature range (50–250 °C). Additionally, the introduction of carborane structures enhances the neutron shielding performance of the material (38.46 % enhanced). The reinforcement mechanisms of these above properties are systematically investigated. It's excepted that our work could provide some ideas to prepare structural -functional integrated epoxy and promote the development of carborane related materials. •Large-scale synthesis of CBOH was achieved using aqueous extraction method.•The mechanism underlying the improved thermal resistance of epoxy resin modified with carborane was elucidated.•Simultaneously, the content of B and H atoms in the material was increased.