A novel poly-benzoxazinyl functionalized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane and its nanocomposite with polybenzoxazine

The novel poly-benzoxazinyl functionalized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane macromonomer (BZ-POSS), containing 7.6 benzoxazine groups per molecule on average was synthesized from octaaminophenylsilsesquioxane, p-cresol and paraformaldehyde. BZ-POSS was well miscible with bisphenol A-based benzoxazine (BBZ) melt. By ring-opening copolymerization of BBZ and BZ-POSS under condition similar to that used for polymerizing neat BBZ, the transparent and uniform BBZ/BZ-POSS organic–inorganic hybrid nanocomposites were prepared. The nano-scale dispersion of POSS cores in the nanocomposite was verified by powder X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy studies. Dynamic mechanical analyses and thermal gravimetric analysis indicated that thermal stabilities, cross-link densities and the flame retardance of the nanocomposites were increased in comparison with neat PBBZ resin, although only small amounts of inorganic POSS cores were incorporated into the systems. Structural analyses of BZ-POSS and BBZ/BZ-POSS nanocomposites are discussed herein.