Resin composition, and pre-preg, metal-clad laminate and printed circuit board prepared using the same

1. A resin composition, comprising:

(A) a halogen-free epoxy resin;

(B) a hardener; and

(C) a phosphorus-containing phenolic resin of formula (I):

in formula (I),

n is 0, m is 0, and l is an integer of 1 to 10; and

R 1 and R 2 are independently a residue of 9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-10-phosphaphenanthrene-10-oxide (DOPO), a residue of DOPO's derivative, a residue of amino triazine novolac (ATN) resin, or —O(CH 2 ) 3 CH 3 , with the proviso that at least one of R 1 and R 2 is a residue of DOPO or a residue of DOPO's derivative,

wherein the weight ratio of the hardener (B) to the phosphorus-containing phenolic resin (C) is from about 0.2:1 to about 0.9:1, and

wherein based on 100 parts by weight of the halogen-free epoxy resin (A), the amount of the hardener (B) is about 9 parts by weight to about 52 parts by weight and the amount of the phosphorus-containing phenolic resin (C) is about 19 parts by weight to about 50 parts by weight.

2. The resin composition of claim 1 , wherein in formula (I), R 1 and R 2 are independently a residue of DOPO, a residue of

or —O(CH 2 ) 3 CH 3 , with the proviso that at least one of R 1 and R 2 is a residue of DOPO.

3. The resin composition of claim 2 , further comprising a co-hardener selected from the group consisting of dicyandiamide (DICY), cyanate ester resin, phenolic resin (PN) other than the phosphorus-containing phenolic resin (C), diaminodiphenylmethane, poly(styrene-co-vinyl phenol), and combinations thereof.

4. The resin composition of claim 2 , further comprising a core/shell rubber.

5. The resin composition of claim 1 , wherein the hardener is selected from the group consisting of diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DDS), amino triazine novolac resin (ATN), bismaleimide resin (BMI), polyfunctional maleimide resin, styrene maleic anhydride (SMA), benzoxazine resin, and combinations thereof.

6. The resin composition of claim 5 , further comprising a co-hardener selected from the group consisting of dicyandiamide (DICY), cyanate ester resin, phenolic resin (PN) other than the phosphorus-containing phenolic resin (C), diaminodiphenylmethane, poly(styrene-co-vinyl phenol), and combinations thereof.

7. The resin composition of claim 5 , further comprising a core/shell rubber.

8. The resin composition of claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of the hardener (B) to the phosphorus-containing phenolic resin (C) is from about 0.3:1 to about 0.9:1.

9. The resin composition of claim 1 , further comprising a co-hardener selected from the group consisting of dicyandiamide (DICY), cyanate ester resin, phenolic resin (PN) other than the phosphorus-containing phenolic resin (C), diaminodiphenylmethane, poly(styrene-co-vinyl phenol), and combinations thereof.

10. The resin composition of claim 1 , further comprising a core/shell rubber.

11. The resin composition of claim 1 , further comprising a component selected from the group consisting of a filler, a flame retardant, a catalyst, a dispersant agent, a toughener, and combinations thereof.

12. The resin composition of claim 11 , wherein the filler is selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, magnesium oxide, magnesium hydroxide, calcium carbonate, talc, clay, aluminum nitride, boron nitride, aluminum hydroxide, silicon aluminum carbide, silicon carbide, sodium carbonate, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, zirconium oxide, quartzes, diamonds, diamond-like, graphite, calcined kaolin, pryan, mica, hydrotalcite, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) powders, glass beads, ceramic whiskers, carbon nanotubes, nanosized inorganic powders, and combinations thereof.

13. A prepreg, which is prepared by impregnating a substrate with the resin composition of claim 1 or by coating the resin composition of claim 1 onto a substrate and drying the impregnated or coated substrate.

14. A metal-clad laminate, which is prepared by laminating the prepreg of claim 13 and a metal foil.

15. A printed circuit board, which is prepared from the metal-clad laminate of claim 14 .

16. A metal-clad laminate, which is prepared by coating the resin composition of claim 1 onto a metal foil and drying the coated metal foil.

17. A printed circuit board, which is prepared from the metal-clad laminate of claim 16 .