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Published on: May 29, 2018
Fast-Curing of Liquid Crystal Thermosets Enabled by End-Groups Regulation and In Situ Monitoring by Triboelectric
Haiyang Zhang1, Yufei Han1, Qingbao Guan1
1State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute of Functional Materials, Research Base of Textile Materials for Flexible Electronics and Biomedical Applications (China Textile Engineering Society), Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Nano-Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China.
A new fast-curing liquid crystal polyarylate thermoset (LCT) was developed for high-performance triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs). This material offers rapid curing and excellent thermal stability for extreme applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- High-performance polymers are essential for triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) operating in extreme environments.
- Liquid crystal polyarylate thermosets (LCTs) show promise for TENGs due to their excellent properties, but traditional LCTs require high temperatures and long curing times.
- Limited end-group options compatible with high polycondensation temperatures (above 300°C) hinder LCT development for TENGs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design a fast-curing LCT suitable for high-performance TENG applications.
- To overcome the limitations of long curing times and high temperatures in conventional LCTs.
- To explore the use of triboelectric measurements as a novel method for analyzing curing progress.
Main Methods:
- Synthesized a novel LCT (MA-LC-MA) by terminating with 4-maleimidophenol for controlled reactivity.
- Investigated polycondensation and curing temperatures, achieving significantly reduced processing times (1 min at 300°C).
- Evaluated thermal stability (Tg, storage modulus at high temperatures) and electrical output performance of the cured LCT.
Main Results:
- The developed MA-LC-MA LCT exhibited a lower polycondensation temperature (250-270°C) and rapid curing at 300°C in just 1 minute.
- The cured material maintained a high glass transition temperature (135°C) and significant storage modulus (6 MPa at 350°C).
- Excellent electrical output performance was achieved, and triboelectric measurements were successfully used to monitor curing progress.
Conclusions:
- A fast-curing LCT was successfully designed, enabling efficient fabrication of high-performance TENGs.
- The new LCT demonstrates superior thermal stability and electrical properties suitable for extreme conditions.
- This research offers a new strategy for developing advanced thermosets and TENG materials.
