Analysis of the Effect of Network Structure and Disulfide Concentration on Vitrimer Properties

Abstract

A set of five vitrimers with glass transition temperatures in the range of 80–90 °C were designed to assess the effect of the network structure and disulfide concentration on their dynamic and mechanical properties, and to find the best performing system overall compared to the commercial Araldite LY1564/Aradur 3486 commercial thermoset system. Vitrimer networks were prepared by incorporating mono- and bifunctional epoxy reactive diluents and an amine chain extender into the Araldite LY1564/4-aminophenyldisulfide system.

Vitrimer Transition Phenomena from the Perspective of Thermal Volume Expansion and Shape (In)stability

“…The temperature, when the nonlinear decay of l(T)/l 170°C transits to linearity, can be interpreted as the vitrimer transition temperature T nl,1 (= T v ). 3,5,21,33 Decreasing the temperature rate increases both the shift of l(T)/l 170°C on the ordinate as well as the convex curvature of the respective data curve (above T nl,1 ). Compared to the reference system, this behavior indicates the increasing dominance of material flow/creep over thermal expansion with decreasing cooling rate.…”

“…Both features are obviously related to the flow or creep of the vitrimer sample. The temperature, when the nonlinear decay of l ( T )/ l 170°C transits to linearity, can be interpreted as the vitrimer transition temperature T nl ,1 (= T v ). ,,, …”