Fracture behavior of liquid crystalline epoxy resins
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Recent research and development of the diglycidyl ether of 4,4-dihydroxy--methylstilbene (DGE-DHAMS) based liquid crystalline epoxy (LCE) resin systems has shown that these LCEs exhibit high Young's modulus and strength even with only partial molecular orientation. The LC domain size and type and molecular orientation can be controlled via combination(s) of cure temperature, curing agent, and external fields (mechanical shearing, electrical and magnetic fields alignments) during curing. It is found that, depending on how the LCE is cured and prepared, the liquid crystalline domain size and morphology can vary dramatically. These, in turn, affect how the LCEs fracture. The advantage and shortcoming of using LCEs for structural applications are discussed.