Flexible Epoxy Resins Formed by Blending with the Diblock Copolymer PEO-b-PCL and Using a Hydrogen-Bonding Benzoxazine as the Curing Agent

In this study, we enhanced the toughness of epoxy resin by blending it with the diblock copolymer poly(ethylene oxide–b–ε-caprolactone) (PEO-b-PCL) with a benzoxazine monomer (PA-OH) as the thermal curing agent. After thermal curing, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed that intermolecular hydrogen bonding existed between the OH units of the epoxy–benzoxazine copolymer and the C–O–C (C=O) units of the PEO (PCL) segment. Differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic mechanical analysis revealed that the glass transition temperature and storage modulus of the epoxy–benzoxazine matrix decreased significantly upon increasing the concentration of PEO-b-PCL. The Kwei equation predicted a positive value of q, consistent with intermolecular hydrogen bonding in this epoxy–benzoxazine/PEO-b-PCL blend system. Scanning electron microscopy revealed a wormlike structure with a high aspect ratio for PEO-b-PCL as the dispersed phase in the epoxy–benzoxazine matrix; this structure was responsible for the improved toughness.