Synthesis and Investigation of Properties of Epoxy-Novolac Copolymers Based on Polycyclic Bisphenols of Norbornane Type

The purpose of this study was the synthesis of copolymers based on the novolac oligomer and diglycidal ether of polycyclic bisphenols of the norbornane type and the study of the curing process of the obtained copolymers. Copolymers were synthesized based on polycyclic bisphenols: 4,4'-(2-norbornilidene) diphenyl; 4,4'-(hexahydro-4,7-methylenindane)-di-o-cresol; 4,4′-(hexahydro-4,7-methylenindane-5-ylidene) diphenol; 4,4′-(decahydro-1,4,5,8 - dimethylennaft-2-ylidene)diphenol; and 2,2-bis-(4-oxyphenyl)propane. The synthesis was carried out in two stages. In the first stage, the main chemical process during copolymerization is the interaction of epoxy groups with phenolic hydroxyls of the novolac oligomer, which leads to the formation of a block copolymer. In the second stage of the process polymers with a three-dimensional structure are formed as a result of the curing process. The optimal curing mode was set. Fiberglass plastics were prepared from the obtained copolymers, which were characterized by good physico-mechanical and thermal properties.