Synthesis and characterization of nanomagnetite thermosets based on benzoxazines

Abstract

Nanomagnetite thermosets were obtained by thermally activated ring opening copolymerization of benzoxazine groups coated on the surface of the nanomagnetite with bare benzoxazine. For this purpose, carboxylic acid containing 1,3-benzoxazine was synthesized and covalently bonded on magnetite nanoparticles by postcoating method. The average size of benzoxazine coated nanoparticles was 40100 nm as determined by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) measurements. The crystal structure of benzoxazine coated nanoparticles was shown to be magnetite by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Thermally activated curing behavior of nanomagnetite-benzoxazines has also been studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Magnetic and thermal properties of the cured samples were investigated. It was shown that the precursor nanomagnetite benzoxazine and cured samples exhibited typical ferromagnetic character with low coercivities between 1.5 and 2.5 Oe. The cured samples showed high thermal stability. (c) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.