Fuente: Journal of applied polymer Lugar: RESEARCH ARTICLE The chemical synthesis, toughening mechanism, and mechanical properties of HDI-T modified epoxy resin from molecular design to macroscopic performance.


ABSTRACT
Epoxy resins, although valued for their superior mechanical strength and chemical resistance, inherently suffer from brittleness that limits their application in impact-critical domains. Conventional toughening approaches often compromise thermo-mechanical properties or require complex processing. In this study, we developed a novel intrinsic toughening strategy by synthesizing a highly toughened epoxy resin (HDI-T EP) through molecular design, utilizing hexamethylene diisocyanate trimer as the core structural unit. Through block, ring-opening, and ring-closing reactions, flexible aliphatic chains were incorporated into the resin's molecular architecture. The optimized HDI-T EP(15) exhibits remarkable overall enhancements over EP Neat: a 26.7% increase in tensile strength, a 61.9% greater elongation at break, a 29.7% higher compressive strength, and a 114.8% improvement in impact strength. Critically, this substantial improvement in mechanical properties occurred without compromising essential characteristics. The modified resin maintained comparable thermal stability, including a suitable glass transition temperature, alongside excellent chemical resistance in corrosive environments. The synergistic modification strategy in this work overcomes the epoxy's brittleness-toughness trade-off. By integrating flexible chains for energy dissipation and a trifunctional core to raise cross-linking density, it enhances toughness without sacrificing strength or thermal stability, thereby broadening practical applications.