A high-performance triple-crosslinked polymer and a preparation method thereof are provided. The polymer is obtained by curing and cross-linking a monomer having two epoxy groups, a cross-linking monomer and a functional monomer. The polymer contains a cross-linking network formed by covalent bonds and two types of multi-level hydrogen bonds with different strengths. The interaction strength between the covalent bonds and the two types of hydrogen bonds decreases in a gradient. The dilemma of the strength-ductility tradeoff in a high-performance polymer is overcome by forming a triple-crosslinked network with covalent bonds and multi-level hydrogen bonds with different strengths in the polymer. The dynamic and hierarchical hydrogen bonds are broken and recombined timely and continuously to concurrently maintain the complete structure of the polymer network and enable the polymer network to quickly respond to the transmission and dissipation of the external environment.

The present invention relates to epoxy curing agents which are obtained from the reaction of a polyalkylene polyether modified polyepoxide resin and a polyamine component. They polyamine component is a reaction product of a polyethylene polyamine having 3 to 10 nitrogen atoms, for example, diethylenetriamine (DETA), and at least one aldehyde having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, for example, formaldehyde. The epoxy curing agent may be used as part of a two component coating system in the curing of liquid or pre-dispersed curable epoxy resins.

The present invention relates to a low-alkylphenol composition comprising a) at least one epoxy resin, b) at least one amine having at least two secondary amino groups that are both part of an organic ring system, and c) at least one salt of a strong Brønsted acid with a counterion selected from metal ions, metal-containing ions, phosphonium ions and ammonium ions, to processes for production thereof and to the use thereof.

The present invention relates to a composition comprising a) at least one epoxy resin, b) at least one amine having at least two secondary amino groups which are both part of an organic ring system, and c) at least one salt of a very strong Brønsted acid with a counterion selected from metal ions, metal-containing ions, phosphonium ions and ammonium ions, and to processes for production thereof and use thereof.

The present invention provides a composition comprising a) at least one epoxy resin, b) at least one cyclic amine of the formula (I) in which ##STR00001## R.sup.1 to R.sup.4 is H or an organic radical and
X═—(Y.sup.1).sub.m-(A.sup.1).sub.n-(Y.sup.2).sub.o-(A.sup.2).sub.p-(Y.sup.3).sub.q-(A.sup.3).sub.r-(Y.sup.4).sub.s—,  (II)
where, independently of one another, m, n, o, p, q, r and s=0 or 1, A.sup.1, A.sup.2, A.sup.3=alkylene or alkenylene radical and Y.sup.1, Y.sup.2, Y.sup.3, Y.sup.4=NR.sup.5, PR.sup.5, O or S, where R.sup.5 independently=organic radical, where any two organic radicals selected from R.sup.1 to R.sup.5 and any radicals present in the alkylene and/or alkenylene radicals A.sup.1, A.sup.2, A.sup.3 may also form one or more further rings, with the proviso that at least one of the radicals selected from R.sup.1 to R.sup.5 present and any radicals present in the alkylene and/or alkenylene radicals A.sup.1, A.sup.2, A.sup.3 is substituted by at least one —NHR.sup.6 or —NH.sub.2 group, where R.sup.6=organic radical, and
c) at least one salt of a very strong Brønsted acid with a counterion selected from metal ions, metal-containing ions, phosphonium ions and unsubstituted ammonium ions,
and to processes for production thereof and use thereof.

A high-performance triple-crosslinked polymer and a preparation method thereof are provided. The polymer is obtained by curing and cross-linking a monomer having two epoxy groups, a cross-linking monomer and a functional monomer. The polymer contains a cross-linking network formed by covalent bonds and two types of multi-level hydrogen bonds with different strengths. The interaction strength between the covalent bonds and the two types of hydrogen bonds decreases in a gradient. The dilemma of the strength-ductility tradeoff in a high-performance polymer is overcome by forming a triple-crosslinked network with covalent bonds and multi-level hydrogen bonds with different strengths in the polymer. The dynamic and hierarchical hydrogen bonds are broken and recombined timely and continuously to concurrently maintain the complete structure of the polymer network and enable the polymer network to quickly respond to the transmission and dissipation of the external environment.

The present invention relates to rapid-curing resin formulations as well as fiber-reinforced composite materials comprising the same and their use in the manufacture of molded articles, particularly where the manufacturing process requires high throughput and where resin formulations having consistent handling characteristics (e.g., tack and flexibility) would be preferable across normal to elevated laminating environments (as defined by temperatures between 20 C. and 60 C.). The present invention further relates to a manufacturing process for preparing an article, particularly a molded article, from a fiber-reinforced composite material comprising a rapid-curing resin formulation.

The present invention relates to compositions comprising at least one epoxy resin, at least one amine having at least two secondary amino groups that are both part of an organic ring system, and at least one alkyl alcohol optionally substituted by at least one aromatic radical and/or by at least one alkenyl radical, to processes for production thereof and to the use thereof.

Amine-epoxy curing agents are disclosed including at least one saturated heterocyclic compound having two nitrogen heteroatoms according to formula (I) and at least one saturated fused bicyclic heterocyclic compound having three nitrogen heteroatoms according to formula (II): ##STR00001##
wherein X is independently selected from a hydrogen atom, a linear or branched C.sub.1 to C.sub.4 alkyl group and a substituted or un-substituted phenyl group, Y.sub.1 is a direct bond or a divalent polyethylene polyamine group having 1 to 8 nitrogen atoms or a divalent polyethylene polyamine derivative having 1 to 8 nitrogen atoms, Y.sub.2 is a direct bond or a divalent polyethylene polyamine group having 1 to 7 nitrogen atoms and R is independently a hydrogen atom or a group selected from C.sub.1-C.sub.8 linear, cyclic, and branched alkyl, alkenyl, and alkaryl groups.

The present invention relates to a low-alkylphenol composition comprising a) at least one epoxy resin, b) at least one amine having at least two secondary amino groups that are both part of an organic ring system, and c) at least one salt of a strong Brnsted acid with a counterion selected from metal ions, metal-containing ions, phosphonium ions and ammonium ions, to processes for production thereof and to the use thereof.