Developing a Renewable Hybrid Resin System. Part I: Characterization of Co-Polymers of Isocyanate with Different Molecular Weights of Phenolic Resins

Co-polymer systems of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) and phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resins with different molecular weights were characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The FTIR and TGA coupled with differential thermogravimetric (DTG) results showed that higher molecular weight of PF resins not only promoted the reaction of isocyanate and PF co-polymer system, but also resulted in a better thermal property of prepared co-polymers. The XRD results revealed that higher molecular weight led to a higher proportion of ordered or crosslinking structures in the hybrid resin system. The relationship between the thermal resistance, mechanical properties and the molecular weights of phenolic resins needs further study