Curable mixtures based on xylylene bismaleimide

1. A curable mixture comprising:

RM % of m-xylylene bismaleimide of formula (I)

RP % of a polyimide component, and

RC % of a comonomer component,

wherein

the polyimide component consists of at least one

polyimide of formula (II)

wherein

A is an X-functional group with at least two carbon atoms,

X is an integer >2, and

B is selected from

with the proviso that when B is

A cannot be

 and X cannot be 2;

wherein the comonomer component consists of at least one comonomer selected from the group consisting of alkenylphenol, alkenylphenyl ether, alkenylphenol ether, polyamine, aminophenol, amino acid hydrazide, cyanate ester, diallyl phthalate, triallyl isocyanurate, triallyl cyanurate, styrene, and divinylbenzene;

and wherein

RM % is defined as 1 wt % to 98 wt %;

RP % is defined as 1 wt % to 98 wt %;

RC % is defined as 1 wt % to 98 wt %;

and wherein the sum of RM %, RP % and RC % is less than or equal to 100 wt %.

2. The curable mixture of claim 1 , wherein the comonomer component consists of at least one comonomer selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a compound of formula (III)

wherein

R 1 is a difunctional group, and

R 2 and R 3 are identical or different and each is independently from the other alkenyl with 2 to 6 carbon atoms;

(b) a compound of formula (IV)

wherein

R 4 is a difunctional group, and

R 5 and R 6 are identical or different and each is independently from the other alkenyl with 2 to 6 carbon atoms;

(c) a compound of formula (V)

wherein

R 8 is a difunctional group, and

R 7 and R 9 are identical or different and each is independently from the other alkenyl with 2 to 6 carbon atoms;

(d) a compound of formula (VI)

wherein

R 11 is a difunctional group, and

R 10 and R 12 are identical or different and each is independently from the other alkenyl with 2 to 6 carbon atoms;

(e) a compound of formula (VII)

wherein

R 13 is a Y-functional group,

R 14 is alkenyl with 2 to 6 carbon atoms, and

Y is an integer ≧1; and

(f) a compound of formula (VIII)

wherein

R 15 is a Z-functional group,

R 16 is alkenyl with 2 to 6 carbon atoms, and

Z is an integer ≧1.

3. The curable mixture of claim 2 ,

wherein R l and R 4 are selected from the group consisting of:

 and

R 2 , R 3 , R 5 and R 6 are identical and are 1-propenyl or 2-propenyl;

wherein R 8 and R 11 are selected from the groups consisting of:

 and

R 7 , R 9 , R 10 and R 12 are identical and are 1-propenyl or 2-propenyl;

wherein R 13 and R 15 are difunctional aromatic groups selected from the group consisting of:

and wherein R 14 and R 16 are 1-propenyl or 2-propenyl.

4. The curable mixture of claim 1 , wherein the comonomer component consists of at least one comonomer selected from the group consisting of: 3,3′-diallylbisphenol A, diallyl ether of bisphenol A, bis-(o-propenylphenoxy)benzophenone, m-minobenzhydrazide, bisphenol A dicyanate ester, diallyl phthalate, triallyl isocyanurate, triallyl cyanurate, styrene, and divinylbenzene.

5. The curable mixture of claim 1 , wherein the polyimide component consists of at least one polyimide of formula (II), wherein A is a difunctional group selected from the group consisting of:

a) alkylene with 2 to 12 carbon atoms;

b) a mono- or dicarbocyclic aliphatic group;

c) a bridged multicyclic aliphatic group;

d) a heterocyclic aliphatic group;

e) a mono- or dicarbocyclic aromatic group;

f) a bridged multicyclic aromatic group;

g) a heterocyclic aromatic group;

(h) one of the following groups:

wherein R 17 , R 18 , R 19 , R 20 , R 21 and R 23 are identical or different and each is independently an alkyl with 1 to 6 carbon atoms,

and wherein R 22 and R 24 are identical or different and each is independently an alkylene with 1 to 6 carbon atoms; and

(i) a group defined by formula (IX)

wherein R 25 is selected from the following groups:

6. The curable mixture of claim 1 , wherein the polyimide component consists of at least one polyimide selected from the group consisting of 4,4′-bismaleimidodiphenylmethane, bis(3-methyl-5-ethyl-4-maleimidophenyl)methane, bis(3,5-dimethyl-4-maleimidophenyl)methane, 4,4′-bismaleimidodiphenyl ether, 4,4′-bismaleimidodiphenylsulfone, 3,3′-bismaleimidodiphenylsulfone, bismaleimidodiphenylindane, 2,4-bismaleimidotoluene, 2,6-bismaleimidotoluene, 1,3-bismaleimidobenzene, 1,2-bismaleimidobenzene, 1,4-bismaleimidobenzene, 1,2-bismaleimidoethane, 1,6-bismaleimidohexane, 1,6-bismaleimido-(2,2,4-trimethyl)hexane, 1,6-bismaleimido-(2,4,4-trimethyl)hexane, 1,4-bismaleimidocyclohexane, 1,3-bis(maleimidomethyl)cyclohexane, 1,4-bis(maleimidomethyl)cyclohexane, and 4,4′-bismaleimidodicyclohexylmethane.

7. The curable mixture of claim 1 , wherein

RM % is defined as 5 wt % to 70 wt %;

RP % is defined as 1 wt % to 60 wt %; and

RC % is defined as 20 wt % to 80 wt %.

8. The curable mixture of claim 1 , further comprising

a cure accelerator or

a cure inhibitor.

9. A method for the preparation of a curable mixture according to claim 1 , comprising the step of:

blending the comonomer component as defined in claim 1 , the polyimide component as defined in claim 1 and the m-xylylene bismaleimide of formula (I) as defined in claim 1 at a temperature ranging from 60° C. to 180° C. to obtain a curable mixture as a low melting, low viscosity mass.

10. A method for the preparation of a curable mixture according to claim 1 , comprising the steps of:

dissolving the comonomer component as defined in claim 1 , the polyimide component as defined in claim 1 and the m-xylylene bismaleimide of formula (I) as defined in claim 1 in a solvent, and stripping off the solvent to obtain a curable mixture as a solvent-free low melting, low viscosity mass.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the solvent is 1,3-dioxolane or a 1,3-dioxolane-containing solvent.

12. A method for the preparation of a curable prepolymer comprising the step of:

keeping a curable mixure as defined in claim 1 at a temperature ranging from 25 ° C. to 280 ° C. for a time sufficient to obtain a curable prepolymer, wherein the curable prepolymer is still formable upon the application of heat and/or pressure.

13. The curable prepolymer obtainable according to the method of claim 12 .

14. A method for the preparation of a crosslinked polymer comprising the step of:

heating the curable mixture as defined in claim 1 to a temperature ranging from 70 ° C. to 280° C. for a time sufficient to complete cure.

15. A method for the preparation of a crosslinked polymer comprising the step of:

heating the curable prepolymer as defined in claim 13 to a temperature ranging from 70 ° C. to 280° C. for a time sufficient to complete cure.

16. The crosslinked polymer obtainable by the method of claim 14 .

17. The crosslinked polymer obtainable by the method of claim 15 .

18. A method for the preparation of a composite material comprising the steps of:

applying or blending a curable mixture in form of the low melting, low viscosity-mass obtainable according to the method of claim 9 onto or with a fibrous or particulate reinforcement;

and curing the curable mixture to yield a composite material.

19. A method for the preparation of a composite material comprising the steps of:

applying or blending a curable mixture in form of the low melting, low viscosity-mass obtainable according to the method of claim 10 , onto or with a fibrous or particulate reinforcement;

and curing the curable mixture to yield a composite material.

20. A method for the preparation of a composite material comprising the steps of:

applying or blending a curable mixture in form of the curable prepolymer according to claim 13 , onto or with a fibrous or particulate reinforcement;

and curing the curable mixture to yield a composite material.

21. The composite material obtainable according to the method of claim 18 .

22. The composite material obtainable according to the method of claim 19 .

23. The composite material obtainable according to the method of claim 20 .