Polimerization-Induced Phase Separation In An Epoxy Network Modified With A Polyedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane

C. DI LUCA; I. A. ZUCCHI; L. A. FASCE; C. E. HOPPE; E. R. SOULÉ; R. J. J. WILLIAMS

Congreso; XII Simposio Latinoamericano de Polímeros (SLAP 2010), X Congreso Iberoamericano de Polímeros (CIP 2010); 2010

Universidad Nacional Costa Rica

Polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS), are nanosized cage structures that can be incorporated into linear or thermosetting polymers to improve their thermal and oxidation resistance, and reduced flammability. If the POSS has functional groups, it can be incorporated into the network structure as a pendant group. Complete incorporation of the POSS requires that the mixture of POSS and polymer remains homogeneous. It has been observed that a phase separation process may take place when employing a POSS bearing organic groups that are not compatible with the epoxy network (1,2). Phase separation leads to a heterogeneous material which may also lead to interesting properties. The objective of this work is to study phase separation in the course of polymerization, in an epoxy matrix modified with a POSS.