PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CRYSTALLINE, CROSSLINKED, ELASTOMERIC EPOXIDE RESINS

PROCEDE DE FABRICATION DE RESINES EPOXYDIQUES ELASTOMERIQUES, RETICULEES ET CRISTALLINES

English Abstract

Abstract of the Disclosure
The invention relates to the manufacture of crystalline
epoxide resins which exhibit a marked crystallite melt tem-
perature. me formation of the crystallites is caused by mole-
cule blocks which are derived from aliphatic polyester-polycar-
boxylic acids. According to the invention, two aliphatic poly-
ester-polycarboxylic acids (A and B) are reacted under very
specific quantitative conditions with epoxide compounds which
contain at least 2 epoxide groups and optionally with curing
agents. The polyester-polycarboxylic acids A are purely n-ali-
phatic in character, whereas the polyester-polycarboxylic acids
B are not. They contain, for example, neopentyl radicals which
are derived from neopentyl alcohol during the ester formation.
These crystalline synthetic resins are particularly suitable
for use as material for absorbing solar energy in solar energy
collectors.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. Process for the manufacture of crystalline, crosslinked,
elastomeric epoxide resins, characterised in that epoxide com-
pounds, containing two or more epoxide groups, are reacted
a) with polyester-polycarboxylic acids A which essentially
contain segments of the formula I
-[O-(CH2)n-0?CO-(CH2)m-CO]p- (I)
in which n and m are identical or different and denote 2 or a
higher number than 2, and to which the condition n ? m = 6 to
30 applies, and in which p denotes a number from 2 to 40 which,
however, is sufficiently large that the segment contains at
least 30 -CH2- groups, and
b) with polyester-polycarboxylic acids B which essentially
contain segments of the formula II
-[O-R1-O?CO-R2-CO]q- (II)
in which R1 and R2 are identical or different and denote an
alkylene radical with at least 2 C atoms in the chain and in
which, per O bridge, an average of at least 3.5 and at most
30 C atoms, without taking into account the C atoms of the
-CO?O- radicals, are present in the chain, and wherein the
radicals R1 and R2 together contain at least one alkyl group
or cycloalkyl group or one aryl group as a substituent for
one H atom, and in which q denotes a number from 2
to 40,which,however, is sufficiently large that the
- 20 -

segment contains at least 30 C atoms without taking into
account the C atoms of the -CO?O- radicals, in the chain, and
c) if appropriate, with curing agents C, and, if appropriate,
in the presence of accelerators,
in a ratio such that 0.5 to 1.2 equivalents of polyester-
polycarboxylic acid are present per equivalent of epoxide
compound, that 1/10 to 9/10 of these 0.5 to 1.2 equivalents
are attributable to the polyester-polycarboxylic acid A and
the remaining 9/10 to 1/10 to the polyester-polycarboxylic
acid B, and that up to 0.6 equivalent of curing agent C is
present per equivalent of epoxide compound, with the proviso
that, in the cases in which only difunctional epoxide com-
pounds and difunctional polyester-polycarboxylic acids A and
B are employed, the epoxide groups must be present in excess
and the reaction with a curing agent C is essential.
2. Process according to Claim 1, characterised in that
the reactants are reacted in a ratio such that 0.7 to 1.2
equivalents of polyester-polycarboxylic
acids are present per equivalent of epoxide compound.
3. Process according to Claim 1, characterised in that
the reaction is carried out for 1 to 20 hours in
the melt at temperatures between 50° and 200°C.
4. Process according to Claim 1, characterised in that
a single epoxide compound is reacted.
5. Process according to Claim 1, characterised in that
several epoxide compounds are reacted.
6. Process according to Claim 1, characterised in that
- 21 -

the epoxide compounds employed are those of the group com-
prising triglycidyl isocyanurate and triglycidyl compounds
which contain one or more hydantoin groups and/or dihydrouracil
groups.
7. Process according to Claim 1, characterised in that
the polyester-polycarboxylic acids B which are employed are
those which contain, as R1 in formula II, the radical
<IMG>
8. Process according to Claim 1, characterised in that
the polyester-polycarboxylic acids B which are employed are
those which contain, as R2 in formula II, a radical which is
derived from a dimerised mono-unsaturated or di-unsaturated
fatty acid.
9. Process according to Claim 1, characterised in that
polyester-dicarboxylic acids are employed as polyester-
polycarboxylic acids A and/or B.
10. Process according to Claim 1, characterised in that
the polyester-polycarboxylic acids A and/or B which are
employed are those which contain at least 3 carboxyl groups.
11. Process according to Claim 1, characterised in that
at least one adduct containing epoxide groups is manufactured,
in a 1st stage, from the epoxide compounds and the polyester-
- 22 -

polycarboxylic acids A and/or B; using 0.5 to 1
equivalent of polyester-polycarboxylic acid per 2 equivalents
of epoxide compounds, and, in a second stage, is crosslinked
with the remaining polyester-polycarboxylic acids and/or curing
agents, optionally after the addition of further epoxide
compounds,
12. Process according to Claim 1, characterised in that
the polyester-polycarboxylic acids A and/or B employed are
polyester-dicarboxylic acids and the epoxide com-
pounds employed are those containing at least 3 epoxide groups.
13. Process according to Claim 1, characterised in that
the polyester-carboxylic acids A and/or B employed are those
containing at least 3 carboxyl groups and the epoxide
compounds employed are preferably diepoxide compounds.
14. Process according to Claim 12 or 13, characterised in
that the reaction is carried out using a ratio such that
approximately 1 equivalent of polyester-carboxylic acid is
present per equivalent of epoxide compound and in that no
curing agent C is employed,
15. Process according to Claim 12 or 13, characterised in
that the reaction is carried out using an excess of epoxide
groups, compared with the -CO.OH groups of the polyester-
polycarboxylic acids, and that a curing agent is also used
in an amount which is required for the crosslinking
reaction of the excess epoxide groups,
- 23 -

16. Process according to Claim 1, characterised in that
the polyester-polycarboxylic acids A and B employed are poly-
ester-dicarboxylic acids and the epoxide compounds employed
are those containing 2 epoxide groups.
17. Process according to Claim 16, characterised in that
the reaction is carried out in a single stage using a ratio
such that approximately 0.6 to 0.9 equivalent of polyester-
carboxylic acid is present per equivalent of epoxide compound
and in that a carboxylic acid anhydride is used
in an amount which is required for the crosslinking
reaction of excess epoxide groups, as the curing agent.
18. Process according to Claim 16, characterised in that
at least one adduct containing epoxide groups is manufactured,
in a first stage, from the epoxide compounds and the polyester-
polycarboxylic acids A and/or B, using 1 equivalent
of polyester-polycarboxylic acid per 2 equivalents of epoxide
compound, and, in a second stage, is crosslinked by reaction
with customary curing agents.
19. Process according to Claim 1, characterised in that
nucleating agents are added to the reaction mixture, before
or during the reaction.
20. Process according to Claim 1, characterised in that
fillers which assist the heat conductivity are added to
the reaction mixture before or during the reaction.
- 24 -

Description

.
The invention relates to crys~alline, crosslinked,
elastomeric epoxide resins, in which the flexible and rigid
blocks essentially consist of aliphatic molecule chains and
which are distinguished by their special morphological
propertiès. In the present document and in accordance
with the present invention, a crystalline epoxide resin is
to be understood as a product which is usually partially
~ crystalline.
`- Various epoxide resins, all of which contain, as
crystallites, the radicals of a long-chain aliphatic polyester-
polycarboxylic acid, are already known. In this connect-
ion, British Patents 1,164,584 and 1,283,653 should be men-
tioned in particular. These products are crystalline
synthetic resins which, because they can be stretched, exhibit
very high elongations at break at room temperature. If
r they are warmed to a temperature above the crystallisation
transition temperature, they then exhibit soft rubbery-elastic
properties and have only a low mechanical strength. How-
ever, they exhibit a relatively low reversible extensibility . :;
and, at the same time, fairly high modulus values. Be-
cause of these properties, which manifest themselves in the
form of stiffness and brittleness, these resins are less
suitable as materials for use together with a material of a
different type, for example for laminates with glass, metal,
carbon, plastics of a different type~ and the like (especially
in the form of fibres). Particularly in the case of their
-use for potting, for example around glass or metal, with
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which it is not possible to avoid a certain atnount of therrQal
cycling, considerable dllatation stresses result which, when
the casting is cooled, lead -to a disadvantageous perma-nent
deformation or even to the forma-tion of cracks.
The object of the lnvention is to provide crystalline,
elastomeric epoxide resins which, do~n to relatively 1O-YJ
temperatures, do not exhibit -these adverse properties of the
plastics according to the prior art discussed above.
They must, therefore, exhibit a greater reversible extensi-
bility and lower mo~uli and these properties should be
retained up to relatively high temperatures and, a' the same
. .
' time, down to temperatures which are as low as possible.
-; By means of these desired properties it would then be possibleto avoid heat-dependent dilatation s-tresses in connection with
the other type of material in a laminate and to avoid increased
: formation of cracks which is associated therewith.
- The subject of the invention is a process for the
:f
manufacture of crystalline, crosslinked, elastomeric epoxide
; resins, which is characterised in that epoxide compounds,
, . . .
containing two or more epoxide groups, are reacted
:~ a) with polyester-polycarboxylic acids A which essentially
.
~-~ contain segments of the formula I
`:
~ -[O-(CH2)n-0-CO-(CH2)m-CO]p- (I)
~:'
in which n and m are identical or different and denote 2 or a
higher number than 2, and to which the condition n + m = 6 to
30 applies, and in which p denotes a n~mber from 2 to 40 which,
-- 3 --
. . .
;~
,~ ' . ~.
,..... . .
~'. . ' , ' ~ :.
,~ ,.. .
~ ' ' '

however, is sufficiently large that the segment contains at
least 30 -CH2- groups, and
b) with polyester-polycarboxylic acids B which essentially
contains segments of the formula II
-[O-Rl-0.cO-R2_co] _ (II)
in which Rl and R2 are identical or different and denote an
alkylene radical with at least 2 C atoms in the chain and in
which, per 0 bridge, an average of at least 3.5 and at most 30
C atoms, without taking into account the C atoms of the -CO.0-
radicals, are present in the chain, and wherein the radicals
Rl and R together contain at least one alkyl group or cyclo-
alkyl group or one aryl group as a substituent for one H atom,
and in which q denotes a number from 2 to 40, which~ however,
is sufficiently large that the segment contains at least 30 C
atoms, without taking into account the C atoms of the -C0.0-
radicals, in the chain, and
c) if appropriate, with curing agents C, and, if appropriate,
in the presence of accelerators, in a ratio such that 0.5 to
1.2 equivalents of polyester-polycarboxylic acid are present
:,
per equivalent of epoxide compound, that 1/10 to 9/10 of these
:.~ 0.5 to 1.2 equivalents are attributable to the polyester-
:j
.; polycarboxylic acid A and the remaining 9/10 to 1/10 to the
`;~. polyester-polycarboxylic acid B, and that up to 0.6 equivalent
of curing agent C is
~;'
;
, '.`- ' ~ ' :
' ' ' ' ` ~ ' ' , '

'7
. ` .
`'-
present per equivalent of epoxide compound, with the proviso
that, in the cases in which only difunctional epoxide com-
pounds and difunctional polyester-polycarboxylic acids A and
- B are employed, the epoxide groups must be present in excess
and the reaction with a curing agent C is essential.
;~ Preferably, the condition n + m = 6 to 24 applies to
the formula I.
In the epoxide resins obtained according to the
. .
` invention, the radicals of the polyester-polycarboxylic acids
; A represent the rigid molecule blocksand are in the form of
~` crystallites with crystallite melting points between 40 and
120C. The radicals of the polyester-polycarboxylic acids
;
.- -
,~ B, on the other hand, are incorporated as flexible blocks in
` the crosslinked molecule and in practice these form the matrix
in which the crystallites are incorporated. It is partic-
ularly surprising that a relatively large proportion of the
, polyester-polycarboxylic acids B, that is to say up to 9/10 of
;; the total amount of polyester-polycarboxylic acid employed,
can be incorporated in the crosslinked epoxide resin without
this resulting in crystallisation being prevented.
..,~,
Preferably, the procedure followed according to the
invention is such that 0.7 to 1.2, especially 0.9 to 1.1,
~, equivalents of polyester-carboxylic acid are present per
.. ~
equivalent of epoxide compound.
~ .
The polyester-polycarboxylic acids A and B used in the
~' reaction can for practical purposes be manufactured by the
same basic process, by esterification of corresponding ali-
~,..
- 5 -
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.; .
~` '' . ' ' :
`; ~
.

~ 7'~
phatic dialcohols and aliphatic dicarboxylic acids or by
esterification between suitable derivatives of these alcohols
and dicarboxylic acids, such as, for example, the anhydrides,
acid chlorides and the like. The dicarboxylic acids must
- be present in excess.
- Where minor amounts of aliphatic polyalcohols with at
;
least 3 OH groups, especially glycerol, are also used, branched,
that is to say at least 3-functional, polyester-polycarboxylic
acids A and B are obtained. The use of the latter in the
; reacti~n according to the invention is also a preferred form ofi'
the invention. Branched polyester-polycarboxylic acids A
and B which are obtained if small amounts of polycarboxylic
acids, or their anhydrides, with at least ~ carboxyl groups
(such as, for example, trimellitic acid) are also present
during the manufacture of the polyester-polycarboxylic acids,
are equally suitable for the reaction according to the
invention.
However, it is also possible to employ branched poly-
ester-polycarboxylic acids A and B, which are obtainable by
. .
esterification of the terminal OH groups of long-chain poly-
. . - .
ester-polyols, especially of polyester-diols, with poly-
, carboxylic acids which contain at least 3 -CO.OH groups, such
- as, for example, trimellitic acid, or with corresponding
anhydrides.
When manufacturing polyester-po~ycarboxylic acids B
it is necessary, in contrast to the manufacture of poly-
ester-polycarboxylic acids A, for either the dicarboxylic acids
. .
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: .
.
- - , ~ ' ' ~
~ ~ .
:', - - ~ ' : ~ '
.
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7'i'
(or the derivatives thereof which are suitable for forming the
ester) or the diols (or the derivatives) or for both reactants
to contain at least one alkyl, cycloalkyl or aryl group as a
substituent for one H atom or one ring-forming, optionally
substituted alkylene group as a substituent for two H atoms
of a chain. Preferred reactants to be mentioned here in
this connection are neopentylglycol, hexahydrophthalic an-
hydride and dimerised mono-unsaturated or di-unsaturated fatty
acids. Examples of such dimerised fatty acids which may
be mentioned are the known dicarboxylic acids which are formed
by dimerisation of linoleic acid or of ricinoleic acid.
The basic rules for the manufacture of the polyester-
, ~ .
, polycarboxylic acids A and B used according to the present
, invention in other respects entirely correspond to those
which have to be observed for the manufacture of the "long-
chain dicarboxylic acids" employed according to British Patent
~, 1,164,584, and which are described in detail in this British
patent. Further data on the basic principles of the
, manuf,acture of such long-chain, aliphatic polyester-polycarboxy-
lic acids are also to be found in a publication by Hans Batzer
~ et al. in "Die Angewandte Makromolekulare Chemie" 1973, page
!., 349-412.
~;, Examples of suitable polyester-polycarboxylic acids A
~,~, , are those based on the following polyalcohols and polycarboxylic
acids:
, 16 mols of adipic acid - 15 mols of hexane-1,6-diol
21 mols of succinic acid - 20 mols of butane-1,4-dio'
- 7 -
,. .
.
~: ~
'. " '
. . ,

11 mols of sebacic acid - 10 mols of hexane-1,6-diol
Glycerol - succinic acid - butanediol (1:24:21)
11 mols of succinic acid - 10 mols of butanediol
11 mols of dodecanedicarboxylic acid - 10 mols of hexanediol
11 mols of dodecanedicarboxylic acid - 10 mols of butanediol
11 mols of dodecanedicarboxylic acid - 10 mols of propane-
1,3-diol
7 mols of dodecanedicarboxylic acid - 6 mols of hexanediol
7 mols of dodecanedicarboxylic acid - 6 mols of dodecanediol
7 mols of sebacic acid - 6 mols of dodecanediol
11 mols of sebacic acid - 6 mols of dodecanediol
Trimethylhexanediol - succinic anhydride - butanediol (1:30:27)
11 mols of dodecanedicarboxylic acid - 10 mols of ethylene
glycol
5 mols of decanedicarboxylic acid - 4 mols of dodecanediol
11 mols of decanedicarboxylic acid - 10 mols of hexanediol
Examples of suitable polyester-polycarboxylic acids B
are those based on the following polyalcohols and poly-
carboxylic acids:
11 mols of sebacic acid - 10 mols of neopentylglycol
8 mols of adipic acid - 7 mols of neopentylglycol
13 mols of adipic acid - 12 mols of neopentylglycol
8 mols of adipic acid - 7 mols of trimethylhexanediol
8 mols of trimethyladipic acid - 7 mols of neopentylglycol
14 mols of adipic acid - 13 mols of neopentylglycol
4 mols of dimerised fatty acid - 3 mols of diethylene glycol
4 mols of dimerised fat-ty acid - 3 mols of hexanediol
- 8 -
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.

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; 3 mols of dimerised fatty acid - 2 mols of hexanediol
Glycerol ~ adipic acid - butanediol - neopentylglycol (1:9:3:3)
Trimethylhexanediol - adipic acid - hexanediol - neopentyl-
glycol (1:8:2:3)
. .
14 mols of succinic acid - 13 mols of neopentylglycol
4 mols of hexahydrophthalic anhydride - 3 mols of neopentyl-
glycol.
As epoxide compounds containing two or more epoxide
..:
groups it is possible to employ practically all the polyepoxy
compounds known,to those skilled in the art, from publications
and patent specifications. According to the invention, one
or more different epoxide compounds can be reacted. Tri-
; .~ .
glycidyl isocyanurate and triglycidyl compounds which contain
one or more hydantoin groups and/or dihydrouracil groups,
especially epoxide compounds of the formula III
', . .
I CH~ CH~
O CH3 ~ ~ 3 / \
2 CH2 ~ CH2-cH-cH2-N ~ N-cH2-c~ CH2
, j ~;, I
~ CH
`,': I~o '
CH
'
are particularly suitable.
In principle, the reaction according to the invention
,,.' - _ g _
. :~. -
... .
~; . ,
, . ~,
,:
~':
, .

7'i'
can be carried out either in 1 stage or in several stages.
If the epoxide compounds used have at least 3 epoxide groups,
and polyester-dicarboxylic acids A and B are employed, it is
possible, for example, to carry out the reaction in 1 s~age,
that is to say to start from a reaction mixture which contains
all the reactants simultaneously. It is possible to pro-
ceed in exactly the same way (that is to say in 1 stage) if,
instead of the dicarboxylic acids, polyester-polycarboxylic
acids A and B which have at least ~ carboxyl groups are
empIoyed. In the converse case, that is to say when using
polyester-carboxylic acids A and B containing at least
3 carboxyl groups, and using diepoxy compounds, working in
1 stage is again possible and is the nor~al method of reaction
for such cases.
If only diepoxy compounds and only polyester-
dicarboxylic acids are employed, it is only possible to work
ih one stage if an excess of epoxide compoundsis used and at
the same time a polycarboxylic acid anhydride is added.
In the multi-stage method, an adduct containing
epoxide groups is initially manufactured, in a first stage,
from the epoxide compounds and the polyester-polycarboxylic
acids A and/or B, preferably using 0.5 to 1 equivalent of
polyester-polycarboxylic acid per 2 equivalents of epoxide
compounds. In a second reaction stage, the crosslinking is
then carried out, by reaction of the adducts with the remainder
of the polyester-polycarboxylic acids A and/or B. It is
also possible to proceed by carrying out the crosslinking in
-- 10 --
.
;"... ,
,. - . . : ~ : :
. . .
.: ' . - :
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7~'
the second stage in the presence of customary curing agents.
It is also possible additionally to add yet further monomeric
epoxide compounds and correspondingly larger amounts of
curing agents.
- As customary curing agents for epoxide resins it is
possible to employ all the substances which are described in
.,;
the numerous publications and patents relating to epoxide
resins. Inter alia, the following substances may be listed
here: compounds with amino groups, polyalcohols, poly-
carboxylic acids and their anhydrides, acid amides, polyesters,
phenol-formaldehyde condensates and amino-resin precondensates.
Tertiary amines and imidazoles may be mentioned as examples
`: -of suitable accelerators.
The reaction according to the invention is preferably
;"~
~' carried out in the melt. For this, preferably tempera-tures
; of between 50 and 200C and reaction times of more than 1
hour and up to about 20 hours are required. In principle,
the reaction according to the invention can also be carried
out in solution.
Before or during the reaction, a blowing agent for
- the manufacture of foams can also be added.
- The crystalline, crosslinked plastic products are as
a rule manufactured with simultaneous shaping, to give
~ castings, foamed articles, pressings, lacquer films, laminates,
`i~ adhesive bonds and the like.
Of course,furth~rcustomary additives, such as fillers,
reinforcing agents, mould release agents, agents to protect
. , .
. .
:
-- 11 --
;
.
. . .
'".,.,'

lV~ ;7~7
against aging, flameproofing substances, dyestuffs or pigments,
can be added to the moulding compositions.
Suitable fillers or reinforcing agents are fibrous or
pulverulent inorganic or organic substances. Quartz powder,
aluminium oxide trihydrate, mica, aluminium powder, iron oxide,
ground dolomite, chalk powder, gypsum, slate powder, unburnt
kaolin (bolus), burnt kaolin, glass fibres, boron fibres and
asbestos fibres may be mentioned. A content of materials,
in the form of fibres and powders, which assist the heat
conductivity can prove particularly advantageous.
Examples of such materials are metals (for example aluminium
powder), carbon, such as carbon black and graphite in powder
form, and carbon fibres.
For the purpose of optimum and accelerated development
of the crystal structure of the polymers it is also advisable
to add nucleating agents, such as phthalocyanines, carbon
black, a-naphthoic acid or the like.
The epoxide resins which can be manufactured according
, .
to the invention can also be used, apart from for the manu-
facture of mouldings and laminates with glass, metal or the
like, for the manufacture of foamed articles.
A particular use for the new epoxide resins is as
material which absorbs solar energy in collectors for the
storage of solar energy. In such solar collectors, very
severe thermal cycling arises, which, in the collectors of
the state of the art, can lead, as a result of the different
materials having ~ifferent coefficients of thermal exuansion~
. .; .
.,.,:, . .
-- 12 --
.
, .- . .
:
.. . .
.... . . .
~.. . .
'
......

to dilatation stresses, deformations and the formation of
- cracks. When the epoxide resins manufactured according to
.~
;~ the invention are used, for example, as a potting
.
~! material for metallic tubes and fins, such as are used in
heat exchangers, these disadvantages do not arise.
For this special application, the crystalline, cross- -
linked, elastomeric epoxide resins are preferably dyed black
(with at most up to 20/o by weight of colorant, preferably
~: carbon black).
li~ ,
The crystalline, crosslinked, elastomeric epoxide
resins which can be manufactured by the process according to
the invention are also a further subject of the invention.
Example 1
77 g (0.05 equivalent) of an acid polyester prepared,
by the melt process, from 21 mols of succinic anhydride and
20 mols of butanediol and 35 g (0.05 equivalent) of an acid
polyester prepared, by the melt process, from 8 mols of
adipic acid and 7 mols of neopentylglycol are warmed to 120C
and mixed well with 11.0 g (0.1 equivalent) of triglycidyl
isocyanurate and the mixture is poured into Anticorodal moulds
which have internal dimensions of 150 x 150 x 1 mm, have been
,~ .
'r'' treated with a silicone mould-release agent and have been
pre-warmed to 140C. After removing the air, the mixture
is cured in vacuo for 16 hours at 140C. Crystalline,
: soft and tough mouldings are obtained, for whick the following
, characteristics are determined:
,,:
".. ' '
, ....
... -
- 13 -
.
.
.: .

Tensile strength according to VSM 77,101 2
tmoulding No. 1)~{ = 7.3 N/mm
Elongation at break according to VSM 77,101 = 350%
Crystallite melting point (Tm)~E = 100 C
x The mouldings are punched from the 1 mm thick sheet using
a punching tool. (The tensile test also corresponds to
IS0 R 527)
Determined with a differential scanning calorimeter (heat-
ing rate = 10/minute)
Exam~le 2
52.6 g (0.02 equivalent) of an adduct obtained from
2.0 equivalents of tetrahydrophthalic acid diglycidyl ester
and 1.0 equivalent of an acid polyester obtained from 21 mols
of succinic anhydride and 20 mols of butanediol, together with
1.6 g (0.01 equivalents) of hexahydrophthalic acid diglycidyl
ester and 8.3 g (0.01 equivalent) of an adduct obtained from
2.5 equivalents of 3',4'-epoxyhexahydrobenzal-3,4-epoxy-
cyclohexane-l,l-dimethanol and 1.0 equivalent of an acid poly-
ester obtained from 11 mols of sebacic acid and 10 mols of
neopentylglycol, are warmed to 130C. The mixture is
mixed well with 10.6 g (0.04 mol) of dodecenylsuccinic anhydride
and several drops of dimethylbenzylamine and is cast and cured
analogously to Example l; Mouldings with the following
characteristics are obtained:
Tensile strength = 13.8 N/mm2
Elongation at break = 85q~
Yield stress = 13.1 N/mm2
Elongation up to l"he yield point = 29%
Tm = g5 C
-- 14 --
.. . . s
.. ~ ~ . . ..
.

~ 77
Without the addition of the sebacic acid-neopentyl-
glycol polyester adduct, an elongation up to ~he yield point
of less tha~ 10% is measured at a Tm value of 98C. The
main advantage of the new block copolymers is thus that ~heir
reversible extensibility is increased several fold at abou-t
the same crystallite melting point.
Example 3
155 g (0.1 equivalent) of an acid polyester obtained
from 11 mols of sebacic acid and 10 mols of hexanediol and
4.6 g (0.03 equivalent) of hexahydrophthalic anhydride are
warmed to 100C and mixed well with 165 g (0.13 equivalent) of
an adduct obtained from 100 parts by weight of an acid poly-
ester obtained from 8 mols of adipic acid and 7 mols of neo-
pentylglycol and 50 parts by weight of a bisphenol A diglycidyl
ether with an epoxide equivalent weight of 185 and the mixture
is processed, and cured, analogously to Example 1. Mould-
ings with the following characteristics are obtained:
Tensile strength = 10.8 N/mm2
Elongation at break = 690%
Stress at the yield point = 5.0 N/mm2
Elongation at the yield point = 30%
Tm = 58C
An analogous experiment without the addition of the
adipic acid-neopentylglycol adduct (using only 0.13 equivalent
of bisphenol A diglycidyl ether) gives a Tm value of 59C.
In this case also, the flexibility (reversible deformability)
is increased, whilst maintaining the crystallite melting

point, by adding an amorphous polyester.
Example 4
76.7 g (0.1 equivalent) of a branched (trivalent)
polyester, prepared from glycerol, succinic anhydride and
butanediol and having an acid equivalent weight of 767, are
melted and warmed to 110C and then mixed well, at this
temperature, with 127 g (0.1 equivalent) of the adipic acid-
polyester adduct described in Example 3 and the mixture is
processed, and cured, analogously to Example 1. Mouldings
with the following characteristics are obtained:
Tensile strength = 4.9 N/mm2
Elongation at break = 179%
Tm = 61C
Example 5
When 146 g (0.1 equivalent) of a branched polyester
obtained from glycerol, succinic anhydride and butanediol and
having an acid equivalent weight of 1,460 are used in place of
the shorter-chain polyester, mouldings with the following
characteristics are obtained analogously to Example 4:
Tensile strength . = 13.4 N/mm2
Elongation at break = 588%
Tm - ~ = 77 C
Example 6 (use in solar collectors)
259 g (0.24 equivalent) of an acid polyester obtained
from 11 mols of succinic anhydride and 10 mols of butanediol
and 165 g (0.2~ equivalent) of an acid polyester obtained from
8 mols of adipic acid and 7 mols of neopentylglycol were
- 16 -
, ~
- : ~
. -

`:`
warmed to 120C and mixed well with 15 g of carbon black,2,6 g of a light stabiliser ~ p-tert.-butylphenol derivative)
and 80 g (0.48 equivalent) of the triglycidyl compound of the
formula III and the mixture is processed, and cured, analogous-
ly to Example 1. However, in this case an Anticorodal mould
having ~ thickness of 10 mm was used. m e mould also
contained a 130 cm long copper spiral, but no lamellae.
After curing, a black collector which was tough at room tempera-
ture and had a crystallite melting point of 91C was obtained.
Three collector panels manufactured in this way were
arranged in series, connected together and exposed to the sun.
A separate vessel containing 700 cm3 of water at 18C was
warmed by means of a copper spiral. ~fter three hours,
the water temperature was 71C, whilst the circulating water
had a temperature of 74C.
( me test was carried out on 21.2.1975 in Basel).
No indication whatsoever of the formation of cracks
could be found even after repeated use of the collectors,
during which temperature variations between 5 and 80C arose.
Example 7
21.9 g of an acid polyester obtained from 5 mols of
decanedicarboxylic acid and 4 mols of dodecanediol (equivalent
weight = 832) and 16.8 of an acid polyester obtained from
4 mols of dimerised ricinoleic acid and 3 mols of hexanediol
(equivalent weight 1,280) and 3.5 g of dodecenylsuccinic
anhydride are warmed to 120C and mixed well with 7.4 g of
. . .
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~V~ i'7
.
the cycloaliphatic diepoxide compound of the following
structure:
~CH2~
(equivalent weight 141) and 0.1 g of dlmethylbenzylamine and
the mixture is poured into the pre-warmed moulds, analogously
to Example 1. (Equivalent ratio = 1.0:0.5:0.5:2.0).
After curing for 16 hours at 140C, mouldings with the
following properties are obtained:
Tensile strength = 8 N/mm2
Elongation at break = 141%
Tm = 55 C
Resistance to tear propagation . = 101 N (DIN
53,~63)-
Example 8
49.3 g of an acid polyester obtained from 11 mols of
decanedicarboxylic acid and 10 mols of~hexanediol (equivalent
weight 1,415) and 2.6 g of an acid polyester obtained from
4 mols of hexahydrophthalic anhydride and 3 mols of neopentyl-
glycol are warmed to 120C and, after adding 6.1 g of the
epoxide compound of the following structure:
O
CH~ _ CHCH2CCCH2C~12
~ J ~ ~ -',H2CH2COCH2CH~ o ~(~H2
CH~ - CHCH20CC~2Ch2 ~ ~
~ ~ ~ CH2CH2COCH2cH~ ~ H2
o
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.

lU5~ 7'~
(equivalent weight 123) and 0.01 g of dimethylbenzylamine,
mixed well and cast, and cured, analogously to Example 1.
(Equivalent ratio = 1.0:0,2:1.2).
The mouldings have the following properties:
Tensile strength = 49 N/mm2
Elongation at break = 18%
Tm = 57C,
Example 9
The procedure according to Example 8 is followed but
with the difference that 1.2 equivalents of the triepoxide
compound of the formula III are employed in place of 1.2
equivalents of the epoxide compound used in Example 8. The
mouldings have the following characteristics:
Tensile strength = 30 N/mm
Elongation at break = 320%
Resistance to tear propagation = 150 N
Tm = 49C
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