Compatibility and thermostability between polyarylacetylene composites and polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes

Polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) including octaphenylsilsesquioxane (OPS), octa(aminophenyl)silsesquioxane (OAPS) and octa(propargylaminophenyl)silsesquioxane (OPAPS) were used to prepare composite resins with pre-polyarylacetylene (PAA). The compatibility and thermal properties of the PAA/POSS composites were studied through SEM, XRD, FT-IR, DSC and TGA. The morphologies of PAA/POSS composites and XRD results proved that there was good compatibility between PAA and OPAPS because the terminal alkynyl groups in OPAPS could react with PAA, while the compatibility between PAA and OPS was the worst due to the OPS could deposit in the bottom of the composites. The FT-IR analysis indicates the formation of a conjugated diene and aromatic ring groups in the thermal curing processes of the resins. DSC analysis implies that the addition of inorganic silica-like core to prePAA decreases the exothermic heat. And incorporation of OPAPS could enhance the curing temperature a little. TGA analysis indicates that addition of OAPS or OPAPS would not reduce the excellent thermal stability so much and somewhat enhance the thermal-oxidative stability.