CURABLE COMPOSITIONS CONTAINING ISOCYANATE-BASED TOUGHENERS

1 . A curable composition comprising:

A) an N-arylated benzoxazine component, and

B) a prepolymer of the following general structure:

P—(X—CO—NH-D-NH—CO—Y-E) z

wherein

P is a z-valent residue of an oligomer or polymer,

X and Y independently are selected from the group consisting of NR′, O and S,

wherein R′ is hydrogen or a residue selected from the group consisting of aliphatic, heteroaliphatic, araliphatic, heteroaraliphatic, aromatic and heteroaromatic residues,

D is a divalent residue of a diisocyanate comprising two isocyanate groups having different reactivity, from which the two isocyanate groups with different reactivity have been removed to form two binding sites (valences),

E is a end-capping residue, selected from the group consisting of aliphatic, heteroaliphatic, araliphatic, heteroaraliphatic, aromatic and heteroaromatic residues, and

z is an integer of 1 to 12.

2 . The curable composition according to claim 1 , wherein P is selected from the group consisting of polyether residues and polyester residues.

3 . The curable composition according to claim 1 , wherein X and Y independently are NH and/or O.

4 . The curable composition according to claim 1 , wherein D is a residue obtained by removing the two isocyanate groups of a diisocyanate selected from the group consisting of 2,4-toluene diisocyanate (2,4-TDI), naphthalene 1,8-diisocyanate (1,8-NDI), 2,4′-methylenediphenyl diisocyanate (2,4′-MDI), 1-isocyanatomethyl-3-isocyanato-1,5,5-trimethylcyclohexane (isophorone diisocyanate, IPDI), 2-isocyanatopropylcyclohexyl isocyanate, 1-methyl-2,4-diisocyanatocyclohexane, hydrogenation products of the aforementioned aromatic diisocyanates, 1,6-diisocyanato2,2,4-trimethylhexane, 1,6-diisocyanato-2,4,4-trimethylhexane, 2-butyl-2-ethylpentamethylene diisocyanate and lysine diisocyanate.

5 . The curable composition according to claim 1 , wherein E is an aromatic residue comprising phenolic hydroxyl groups.

6 . The curable composition according to claim 1 , wherein z is an integer of 2 to 6.

7 . The curable composition according to claim 1 , where in P is a polyether, X and Y are O, D is a residue obtained by removing the two isocyanate groups of 2,4-toluene diisocyanate or 2,4′-methylenediphenyl diisocyanate, E is an aromatic residue comprising a phenolic hydroxyl group, and z=2 or 3.

8 . The curable composition according to claim 1 , wherein P is a three-valent residue (z=3) derived from a trimethylolpropane.

9 . The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the N-arylated benzoxazine component comprises one or more of

where m is 1-4, X is selected from a direct bond (when m is 2), alkyl (when m is 1), alkylene (when m is 2-4), carbonyl (when m is 2), oxygen (when m is 2), thiol (when m is 1), sulfur (when m is 2), sulfoxide (when m is 2), and sulfone (when m is 2), R 1 is aryl, and R 4 is selected from hydrogen, halogen, alkyl, alkenyl, or R 4 is a divalent residue creating a naphthoxazine residue out of the benzoxazine structure, or

wherein p is 2, Y is selected from the group consisting of biphenyl (when p is 2), diphenyl methane (when p is 2), diphenyl isopropane (when p is 2), diphenyl sulfide (when p is 2), diphenyl sulfoxide (when p is 2), diphenyl sulfone (when p is 2), and diphenyl ketone (when p is 2), and R 4 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, alkyl and alkenyl.

10 . The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the N-arylated benzoxazine component is present in an amount in the range of about 50 to about 95 percent by weight, based on the total weight of the composition.

11 . The composition according to claim 1 , further containing an epoxy resin component.

12 . A cured reaction product of the composition comprising a layer or bundle of fibers infused with the composition of claim 1 .

13 . A process for producing a cured reaction product, steps of which comprise:

A) providing a layer or bundle of fibers;

B) providing the composition according to claim 1 ;

C) joining the composition and the layer or bundle of fibers to form an assembly,

D) optionally removing excess heat curable composition from the assembly exposing the resulting assembly to elevated temperature and pressure conditions sufficient to infuse the layer or bundle of fibers with the heat curable composition to form the cured reaction product.

14 . An adhesive, sealant or coating composition comprising or consisting of the composition according to claim 1 .