Preparation and Thermal Properties of Boron-Containing o-Cresol-Formaldehyde Resin/Octa(aminophenyl)-POSS Nanocomposites

The boron-containing o-cresol-formaldehyde resin (BoCFR) and octa(aminophenyl) polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (OAP-POSS) were synthesized, and the BoCFR/OAP-POSS nanocomposite prepared via an in-situ method. The curing process of the resin was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). The thermal properties and dynamic mechanical properties of the nanocomposites were investigated. The results show that the maximal mechanical loss temperature (T-p) increased with increasing OAP-POSS content. When the content of OAP-POSS was 10wt% the T-p was over 200 degrees C, 27 degrees C higher than the pure BoCFR. The BoCFR/OAP-POSS nanocomposite had better thermal stablitity than the pure BoCFR. The residual weight of the o-cresol-formaldehyde resin was only 6.13wt% at 600 degrees C. But the residual weight of the pure BoCFR was 55.73wt% at 600 degrees C, and the residual weights of the BoCFR nanocomposites were all higher than pure BoCFR. The residual weight of the BoCFR nanocomposite was 63.2wt% at 600 degrees C and 21.83wt% at 900 degrees C when the OAP-POSS content was 10wt%. The weight loss of BoCFR/OAP-POSS nanocomposite can be divided primarily into two temperature stages, from 430 degrees C to 550 degrees C and from 550 degrees C to 900 degrees C. The main thermal degradation reaction follows first order kinetics.