In this work, diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA)/polyetherimide (PEI) blends were cured using 4,4-diaminodiphenyl methane (DDM). And the effects of addition of different PEI contents to neat DGEBA were investigated in the thermal properties and f...
In this work, diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA)/polyetherimide (PEI) blends were cured using 4,4-diaminodiphenyl methane (DDM). And the effects of addition of different PEI contents to neat DGEBA were investigated in the thermal properties and fracture toughness of the blends. The contents of contents of containing PEI were varied in 0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 phr. The cure activation energies ($E_a$) of the cured specimens were determined by Kissinger equation and the mechanical interfacial properties of the specimens were performed by critical stress intensity factor ($K_{IC}$). Also their surfaces were examined by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the surface energetics of blends was determined by contact angles. As a result, $E_a$ and $K_{IC}$ showed maximum values in the 7.5 phr PEI. This result was interpreted in the increment of the network structure of DGEBA/PEI blends. Also, the surface energetics of the DGEBA/PEI blends showed a similar behavior with the results of $K_{IC}$. This was probably due to the improving of specific or polor component of the surface free energy of DGEBA/PEI blends, resulting in increasing the hydrogen bonding of the hydroxyl and imide groups of the blends.