Recent developments in the chemistry of cyanate esters

✍ Scribed by Hamerton, Ian; Hay, John N.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1998
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 340 KB
• Volume: 47
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0959-8103
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0126(199812)47:4<465::aid-pi88>3.0.co;2-s

✦ Synopsis

During the last decade, aromatic cyanate esters (CE) have become established as a new and unique class of high-performance thermosetting resins for use as prepreg matrices in both the electronic and aerospace industries. The basic properties of CE resins, such as low moisture absorption, excellent electrical properties and good Ñammability characteristics, make them attractive composite matrices and di †erentiate them from standard epoxy resins (epoxies) and bismaleimides. Although they are relative newcomers to the composites industry, CE resins are enjoying unprecedented success for certain applications. Several major space and radome manufacturers have qualiÐed CE resins despite the extensive database on epoxies and the inherently conservative nature of industry. Increasing demands on the materials used in these areas have stimulated the use of CE resins over other more conventional polymers. The aim of this review is to bring to the readerÏs attention the more recent developments in the science of cyanate esters. 1998