Curable epoxy resin compositions having improved adhesion to metal substrates and processes for making and using the same

1. A thermosettable composition having improved adhesion to metal substrates when cured comprising:

(a) at least one curable flame retardant epoxy resin comprising a diglycidyl ether of tetrabromobisphenol A and/or a phosphorus-containing epoxy resin;

(b) at least one hardener, each hardener having less than 1 primary amine group per molecule and not more than 1 secondary amine group per molecule, the hardener comprising

i) at least one polyhydroxy hydrocarbon and/or a hydrocarbon compound capable of generating multiple hydroxy groups per molecule during curing of the thermosettable material, and

ii) a poly(acid anhydride) hydrocarbon selected from the group consisting of a copolymer of an ethylenically unsaturated anhydride and an elastomer, a maleic anhydride adduct of methylcyclopentadiene, and combinations thereof; and

(c) at least one triblock copolymer comprising at least one elastomeric block and at least one acrylic block;

wherein the composition provides a prepreg formulation having a prepreg minimum melt viscosity of at least 20 Pa·s at a prepreg gel time of 60 seconds; and wherein the composition provides a formulation having a copper peel strength of at least 10 N/cm when cured; and wherein, during curing of the thermosetting material, the weight ratio of the total amount of the poly(acid anhydride) hydrocarbon to the polyhydroxy hydrocarbon and/or the compound capable of generating multiple hydroxyl groups per molecule is not greater than 1:3.

2. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric block of triblock copolymer (c) comprises polybutadiene.

3. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the acrylic block of triblock copolymer (c) comprises poly(methyl methacrylate).

4. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the triblock copolymer

(c) further comprises at least one aromatic hydrocarbon block.

5. The composition according to claim 4 , wherein the aromatic hydrocarbon block of triblock copolymer (c) comprises polystyrene.

6. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the polyhydroxy hydrocarbon of hardener (b) comprises at least one polyphenol.

7. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the compound capable of generating multiple hydroxy groups per molecule during curing of the thermosettable material of (b) comprises at least one benzoxazine.

8. The composition according to claim 1 further comprising an imidazole catalyst and boric acid.

9. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition contains not more than 0.5 wt. % primary amine groups.

10. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition contains not more than 1 wt. % secondary amine groups.

11. A process for making a coated article comprising coating an article with at least one composition according to any one of the preceding claims and heating the coated article to cure the coating.

12. A process for making a fiber-reinforced composite article comprising impregnating a fabric with at least one composition according to claim 1 and heating the impregnated fabric to form a fiber-reinforced composite article.

13. The process according to claim 12 , wherein the fabric is a woven fabric and the fiber-reinforced composite article is a prepreg.

14. A process for making a laminate comprising (1) pressing a stack comprising at least one electron-conductive metallic substrate and at least one prepreg according to claim 13 disposed on at least one surface of the substrate and (2) heating the stack to cure the prepreg to form the laminate.

15. The process according to claim 14 , wherein the laminate is a printed wiring board.

16. An article made according to 12 .

17. An article made according to claim 14 .