The cure reaction of NADIC/PA modified unsaturated (epoxy) polyesters with styrene initiated by benzoyl peroxide (BPO) or the mixture of benzoyl peroxide/tetrahydrophthalic anhydride (BPO/THPA) and the thermal properties of obtained styrene copolymers have been studied. Based on non-isothermal DSC analysis, it was proved that the course of the cure reaction clearly depended on the structure of polyesters as well as used curing agent. Generally, one or two asymmetrical peaks for the cure reaction of NADIC/PA modified unsaturated epoxy polyesters with styrene were observed. They were attributed to the copolymerization process of carbon–carbon double bonds of polyester and styrene and/or to the thermal curing of epoxy groups or polyaddition reaction of epoxy groups to anhydride groups, in dependence of used hardener. In addition, only one asymmetrical peak connected with the copolymerization process for the cure reaction of NADIC/PA modified unsaturated polyesters and styrene was observed. Moreover, the cure process of NADIC/PA modified unsaturated epoxy polyesters with styrene initiated with BPO/THPA was more exothermic (higher values of ΔH) compared to the cure process initiated only with BPO.
The obtained styrene copolymers based on NADIC/PA modified unsaturated epoxy polyesters were characterized by better thermal properties compared to copolymers based on NADIC/PA modified unsaturated polyesters. It has manifested by higher E′20 °C, E″max, tgδmax, Tg as well as higher IDT, T10%, T20%, T50% and Tk temperatures. Moreover, the introduction of non-polymerizable cycloaliphatic anhydride (NADIC anhydride) into unsaturated (epoxy) polyester structure caused improvement of the thermal properties of cured copolymers compared to copolymers based on non-polymerizable, aromatic (PA) modified unsaturated (epoxy) polyesters.
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