In this paper, we
report on the effect of curing agents on the
miscibility, morphology, thermomechanical properties, and surface
hydrophobicity of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA)/poly(ε-caprolactone)
(PCL) blends. Two curing agents, 4,4′-diamino diphenylsulfone
(DDS) and 4,4′-diamino diphenylmethane (DDM), were used. Studies
revealed that the epoxy/PCL/DDM system was completely miscible due
to the intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions between carbonyl
groups of PCL and hydroxyl groups of epoxy resin. On the other hand,
the epoxy/PCL/DDS system exhibited phase separated matrix/droplet
type morphology, primarily due to the intramolecular hydrogen bonding
interactions within the epoxy phase between sulfonyl groups of DDS
and hydroxyl groups generated during epoxy–DDS reaction. The
storage modulus of the epoxy/PCL/DDM system was greater than that
of the epoxy/PCL/DDS system, and the dependence of modulus on PCL
content was more pronounced in the former. Moreover, the epoxy/PCL/DDM
system exhibited better tensile properties and thermal stability.
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