Flame-Retardant multifunctional epoxy resin with high performances

High-performance and multifunctional epoxy resins (EPs) are of great use in the booming electric & electronic and 5G fields, however their fabrication shows huge challenges. Herein, through a facile strategy by simply incorporating a functional molecule DPI (phosphaphenanthrene polyethylenimine), which possessed a unique structure with hyperbranched polyethyleneimine as flexible inner core and phosphaphenanthrene groups as rigid outer shell, a high-performance and multifunctional epoxy resin was successfully fabricated. The hyperbranched rigid-flexible structure of DPI endowed the resultant thermoset EP-DPI with superb mechanical performance and high glass transition temperature, for which, at a low DPI content (≤4 wt%), EP-DPI exhibited 160%, 40%, and 31% improvement in impact toughness, tensile strength, and flexural strength compared with neat EP. At the same time, the good compatibility between DPI and the EP matrix enabled EP-DPI to be highly transparent, and the aromatic phosphorus structure endowed EP-DPI with excellent UV-shielding effect in the UV-A band. The dielectric performance of EP-DPI was enhanced due to the unique structure of DPI and its interaction with the EP matrix. Furthermore, the phosphaphenanthrene groups endowed EP-DPI with excellent anti-ignition, self-extinguishing, and low heat release during combustion. This work opens up a new strategy for developing novel high-performance and multifunctional EPs with potential versatile applications.