Preparation and properties of a novel fluorinated epoxy resin/DGEBA blend for application in electronic materials

Abstract

A novel epoxy monomer 4-trifluoromethyl phenylhydroquinone epoxy resin (4-TFMEP) was synthesized via a multistep procedure including the Meerwein arylation reaction and followed by nucleophilic reaction. The chemical structure of 4-TFMEP was confirmed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance and Fourier-transform infrared spectrum. Then a mixed system (DGEBA/4-TFMEP x%) composed of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) and 4-TFMEP was prepared by a melting method without any solvent. After curing, the properties of this series of mixed epoxy resins were measured and compared with the neat DGEBA. As a result, the blend resins exhibited good thermal stability, excellent hydrophobic and low dielectric properties with 4-TFMEP content increasing. Furthermore, the material of DGEBA/4-TFMEP 40% achieves higher glass transition temperature of 104°C and char yield 33% than DGEBA (char yield = 22%) possessed. In the contact angle testing, DGEBA/4-TFMEP 40% shows 127.2° satisfied the standard of hydrophobic material. In addition, by the test of dielectric properties, DGEBA/4-TFMEP x% materials show lower than DGEBA/boron trifluoride ethylamine (BF₃MEA) material, because of the introduced side group of fluorine content into the material improves the electronegativity of epoxy material and reduced the polarizability of molecules efficient. Herein, we believe the novel mixed epoxy system (DGEBA/4-TFMEP x%) has a potential application in electronic industries.