Thermal analysis and mechanical characterization of maleimide‐functionalized benzoxazine/epoxy copolymers

Maleimide‐functionalized benzoxazine is copolymerized with epoxy to improve toughness and processibility without compromising the thermal properties. The incorporation of maleimide functionality into the benzoxazine monomer results in a high performance polymer. All three possible polymerization reactions are confirmed using Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy. While maleimide‐functionalized benzoxazine has a glass transition temperature, Tg, of 252°C, a further 25°C increase of Tg is observed when copolymerized with epoxy. The flexural properties are also measured, and the copolymers exhibit a flexural modulus of 4.2–5.0 GPa.