Investigation of thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties of novel polyurethanes/high molecular weight polybenzoxazine blends

In order to prepare tough polyurethane (PU) electrical insulator with improved thermal stability and electrical insulating properties, high molecular weight polybenzoxazine precursor was mixed and co‐cured with crosslinkable urethane prepolymers. Polybenzoxazine precursor (Bmda) was synthesized from reaction of bisphenol‐A, methylenedianiline, and paraformaldehyde. Epoxy‐terminated polyurethanes (EPU1‐4) were prepared by the reaction of glycidol with NCO‐terminated urethane oligomers. The oligomers were prepared from different molecular weight versions of polycaprolactone polyol (CAPA) and hexamethylene diisocyanate. Blends were prepared through thermal treatment of equal weights of two precursors dissolved in chloroform. Optimum curing condition was determined by DSC and DMTA analysis and measurement of the gel content for cured samples. Viscoelastic, thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties of cured samples were investigated and structure–property relationship was established. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.