Synthesis and properties of methyl hexahydrophthalic anhydride-cured fluorinated epoxy resin 2,2-bisphenol hexafluoropropane diglycidyl ether

The fluorinated epoxy resin, 2,2-bisphenol hexafluoropropane diglycidyl ether (DGEBHF) was synthesized through a two-step procedure, and the chemical structure was confirmed by 1 H n uclear magnetic resonance (NMR), 13 C NMR, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra. Moreover, DGEBHF was thermally cured with methyl hexahydrophthalic anhydride (MHHPA). The results clearly indicated that the cured DGEBHF/MHHPA exhibited higher glass transition temperature ( T g 147°C) and thermal decomposition temperature at 5% weight loss ( T 5 372°C) than those ( T g 131.2°C; T 5 362°C) of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA)/MHHPA. In addition, the incorporation of bis-trifluoromethyl groups led to enhanced dielectric properties with lower dielectric constant ( D k 2.93) of DGEBHF/MHHPA compared with cured DGEBA resins ( D k 3.25). The cured fluorinated epoxy resin also gave lower water absorption measured in two methods relative to its nonfluorinated counterparts. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 2801–2808, 2013