Exploratory Study on the Effects of Novel Diamine Curing Agents and Isocyanate Precursors on the Properties of New Epoxy and Urethane Adhesives

This report covers the results of investigations directed toward studying the effects of novel aromatic diamine structures on epoxy adhesive properties and includes work done under a modification to the original contract. Three aromatic diamines based on diphenylsulfone and benzophenone were studied as epoxy adhesive curing agents. Previously found differences in adhesive strengths for meta vs para orientation were not found in these series. The use of aluminum and alumina as fillers in a m,m'-methylene dianiline-cured epoxy adhesive was not found to be beneficial to adhesive strength. Alumina filled adhesives had much lower strength than unfilled adhesives. The unfilled m,m'-methylene dianiline-based epoxy adhesive had excellent resistance to moisture relative to a p,p'-methylene dianiline-based adhesive and maintained good strengths up to 250 F. A glass fiber composite based on a m,m'-methylene dianiline-cured epoxy appeared to be equivalent to the p,p'-methylene dianiline-cured epoxy as judged by short beam shear tests.