The effect of mesogenic length on the curing behavior and properties of liquid crystalline epoxy resins

The effect of mesogenic structure on the properties of liquid crystalline epoxy (LCE) resins was investigated. The mesogenic lenght of the LCE was changed by changing the length of the rigid rod unit of LCE and it was correlated with the curing behavior and thermomechanical properties of LCE resins. The curing of LCE resins was accelerated in the LCE with LC phase during curing and storage modulus and glass transition temperature of LCE thermosets were high in the epoxy networks with long mesogenic group. In addition, the LC phase of LCE was stable for LCE with long mesogenic group and it was maintained until decomposition.