Water sorption and solvent sorption of epoxy/block-copolymer and epoxy/thermoplastic blends

Abstract

Epoxy polymers are well known for their superior barrier properties in various environmental conditions. Block copolymers and thermoplastics were added to these epoxy polymers to modify their hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance and control various macroscopic physical properties such as moisture absorption, cross-linking, and degradation. The hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance is an important property of any material that determines their fate in the real-world application. Here, in this chapter, water and solvent sorption in various epoxy blends were discussed. Specifically, the change in hydrophilic/hydrophobic bal- ance in the presence of various amounts of block copolymers and thermoplastics were discussed. Contact angle and surface free energy measurements in these blends gave an indication of change in surface properties with respect to blend compositions. Additionally, the nano/micro channels produced by microphase separation of block copolymers and their bulk phase separated morphologies had a greater influence on the sorption behavior of the epoxy blends. This chapter would give an overview of water and solvent sorption behavior of various epoxy/ block copolymer and epoxy/thermoplastic blends studied in recent years.