PHENOLIC MATERIALS VIA RING-OPENING POLYMERIZATION - SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF BISPHENOL-A BASED BENZOXAZINES AND THEIR POLYMERS

Compounds with bifunctional benzoxazine groups in their molecular structures form cross-linked structures characteristic of phenolic materials through a ring-opening reaction mechanism. This family of compounds offers greater flexibility than conventional novolac or resole resins in terms of molecular design. It is also superior to conventional phenolic resin in process control since it releases no by-product during curing reactions. The materials thus obtained exhibit excellent mechanical integrity with glass transition temperatures over 200-degrees-C. The synthesis, composition, and structural analysis of precursors based on bisphenol-A are discussed herein. (C) 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.