Effect of thermal aging on the optical, dynamic mechanical, and morphological properties of phenylmethylsiloxane-modified epoxy for use as an LED encapsulant

We investigated the thermal stability of the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA)–methylhexahydrophtalic anhydride (MHHPA) modified with phenylmethylsiloxane-modified epoxy (PMSE) and the effects of this hybrid on the performance of light emitting diodes (LEDs). The optical and dynamic mechanical properties of the materials, and the effects of these properties on the light output from the encapsulated LEDs, were studied following long-term thermal aging at 150°C. The DGEBA–PMSE hybrids were highly transparent and its optical stability was shown in the stable light output of the LED, which was 19% higher than that of LEDs encapsulated by DGEBA–MHHPA after 30 days. Molecular rearrangement occurred in the nanoscale domain of the hybrids after thermal aging, which caused the dynamic mechanical effect on the LED performance, as demonstrated by TEM. We observed the hybrid modified using 0.2 equivalents of PMSE possessed both optical and dynamic mechanical stability, and resulted in the most stable LED performance. ► The effects of the properties of the hybrids on the performance of LEDs. ► Long-term thermal aging of hybrids and LEDs at 150°C. ► The hybrids with PMSE were highly transparent and optical stable. ► The molecular rearrangement of hybrids was studied by DMA and TEM. ► The hybrid with stable properties contributed to the most stable LED performance.