Fuente: Journal of applied polymer Lugar: RESEARCH ARTICLE A multifunctional epoxy resin containing flexible siloxane: adjustable mechanical properties, self-healing and reprocessability capabilities.


ABSTRACT
Traditional epoxy resins are widely used in various applications due to their excellent performance. However, their highly stable cross-linked networks prevent autonomous repair after mechanical damage, thereby limiting their long-term durability. Herein, a novel epoxy system (EDA-X) was produced through copolymerization of bisphenol A epoxy resin (E51) with siloxane containing epoxy groups (DGETDS), using an amine curing agent (AFD) containing dynamic disulfide bonds. The single glass transition temperature confirmed excellent epoxy-silicone compatibility. The effects of DGETDS and AFD content on the mechanical and self-healing properties were systematically investigated. The results demonstrated that more flexible siloxane and dynamic disulfide bonds enhance the self-healing efficiency while reducing mechanical strength. Notably, EDA-7 obtained appropriate mechanical strength (59.21 ± 1.50 MPa), outstanding self-healing efficiency (~86.18%) and good reprocessability. This work provides an efficient strategy for designing high-performance self-healing epoxy resins.