Anisotropic thermosets from liquid-crystalline azomethynic epoxy resins and primary aromatic diamines

Novel epoxy-terminated monomers based on imine groups. were synthesized and their mesogenic properties studied. Aliphatic spacers of different lengths were introduced between the rigid unit and the glycidylic group, and their liquid-crystalline behavior was examined. They were reacted with primary aromatic diamines inside a magnetic field so that the formation of anisotropic networks could be investigated. The influence of curing conditions and the structure of monomers and amines on the formation of liquid-crystal thermosets were investigated. Thermosets with locked nematic textures were obtained in all cases. The influence of a 7.1 T magnetic field on the macroscopic orientation of these materials was studied, and mechanical properties of the resulting networks were evaluated by dynamic mechanical analysis. (C) 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.