The solubility, polymerization, and the macromolecular characterization of cured blends of BPA-based benzoxazine (BA-a) in end-group tosylated poly(ethyleneglycol) (mPEGOTs) are studied and compared to analogues from hydroxyl-terminated poly(ethyleneglycol) (mPEGOH). BA-a can be homogeneously dispersed into either type of polymer with a wide loading range of ~100-40 wt %. The cure temperature for BA-a/mPEGOTs was up to 50 °C less than that of the pure BA-a or the mPEGOH blends, confirming that the tosylated PEG is an accelerant for BA-a ring opening polymerization (ROP). It is proposed that nucleophilic attack of BA-a on the end-group of mPEGOTs produces free tosylate and cationic BA-a based initiators as a cure catalyst for BA-a ROP – where the former was detected by TGA-FTIR and TGA-MS. H-NMR and FTIR revealed the polybenzoxazine (PBA-a) synthesized in mPEGOTs consists of a phenolic rich molecular structure with strongly H-bonded hydroxyl residues and grafted PEG-chains. SEM confirmed that this material, P(BA-a)-<i>graft</i>-mPEGOTs, has a homogeneous microstructure. The glass transition temperature and the thermal stability of the P(BA-a)-<i>graft</i>-mPEGOTs can be tuned based on the blending composition of the BA-a/mPEGOTs resin. The potential applications of such chemistry and grafted polymers are large in scope and may lead to novel materials for the biomedical plastics, electronics, membranes, and aerospace industries.

Pegylated polybenzoxazine networks with increased thermal stability from miscible blends of tosylated poly(ethylene glycol) and a benzoxazine monomer

255th National Meeting (2018)

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