Synthesis and thermal characterization of γ-Glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane modified phenol-formaldehyde resin

This study investigates the synthesis of γ-Glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (KH-560) modified phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resin and its thermal properties. The modification aimed to improve the thermal stability of the PF resin by forming covalent linkages through KH-560. The successful incorporation of KH-560 into the PF resin was confirmed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (¹H NMR) analyses. Thermal characterization using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) revealed that the KH-560 modification led to an increase in the curing temperature and a enhanced exothermic curing reaction compared to the unmodified resin. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) demonstrated an improvement in the thermal stability of the modified PF resin, with higher decomposition temperatures and slower decomposition rates compared to the unmodified resin. These findings confirm that KH-560 is an effective modifier for enhancing the thermal properties of PF resin.