Chemical structure of networks resulting from curing of N,N-diglycidylaniline-type resins with aromatic amines. IV. Characterization of TGDDM/DDS and TGDDM/DDM networks by high-resolution solid-state ¹³C-NMR

Cured N,N,N′,N′-tetraglycidyl-4,4′-diaminodiphenylmethane (TGDDM) based epoxy resins were investigated by high-resolution solid-state ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy. Associated hardeners were the most commonly used low reactivity 4,4--diaminodiphenylsulphone (DDS), as well as, for comparisons reasons, the higher reactivity 4,4′-diaminodiphenylmethane (DDM) with, in each case, a1 to 1 or 1 to 0.6 epoxy/NH ratio. In order to interpret the spectra, the poorly resolved aliphatic region was decomposed into elementary lines, the structural assignments of which were made using solution ¹³C-NMR data resulting from a previous model compound study. The main structural feature of all investigated systems is the predominance of small cyclic units resulting from intramolecular reactions of N,N-diglycidylaniline groups. The resins are therefore far less crosslinked that it could be anticipated from the functionality of the reactants. Using the low reactivity DDS still increases this effect, due to a higher proportion of residual non reacted secondary amines. Reducing the initial ratio of hardener could on the contrary lead to a higher proportion of reacted amine function, and thus to a higher crosslinking degree. A qualitative picture of such networks is given at the end.