Hyperbranched polymers and other highly branched topologies in the modification of thermally and uv cured expoxy resins

Identifier:  TDX:1007

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TDX1007

Authors:  Foix Tajuelo, David

Abstract:
ABSTRACT Epoxy resins are one of the most used polymers in the field of technological applications. However, they present some drawbacks being the most important the following: they are inherently brittle materials; they present excessive thermal resistance that limits their reworkability; and the shrinkage they experiment during curing. To overcome these problems this thesis proposes the use of hyperbranched polymers, as well as star polymers and lineal-hyperbranched block copolymers as chemical modifiers of commercially available epoxy resins. With this strategy tougher materials have been obtained due to either a flexibilizing effect or a phase separation of the modifier within the epoxy matrix. Moreover, the shrinkage on curing and the degradability of the thermosets have been improved without compromising other properties of the resin such as its Tg or its hardness.