B-Staging and Crosslinking of Polycarbosilane at Room Temperature: Cure Mechanism and Properties

Steven E. Bullock; Corson L. Cramer; Michelle K. Kidder; Chris J. Hershey; Michael J. Lance; Josh T. Damron; Michelle L. Lehmann; Caitlyn Duggan

doi:10.1002/app.57840

B-Staging and Crosslinking of Polycarbosilane at Room Temperature: Cure Mechanism and Properties

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The viscosity of polycarbosilane (PCS) polymers is not advantageous for free forming. Various fillers and heat are used to obtain a formable paste. Due to the low yield stress, structures and preforms tend to slump or resin will flow out, especially during the curing of the polymer. B-staging of PCS allows for a more stable structure from room temperature until the full cure of the allyl groups occurs with heat. Additionally, hydrosilation is an effective means of crosslinking at room temperature and controlling viscosity. A network structure was formed in SMP-10 using silane and a vinyl-based crosslinker to bridge each polymer chain. Pt addition catalysts were added to enhance the increase in viscosity to make a lightly crosslinked gel to aid in thickening and forming and to improve the ceramic yield at 1000°C. This enables several options for controlling rheology and improving the properties of preceramic polymers to avoid slumping during curing.

Original language	English
Article number	e57840
Journal	Journal of Applied Polymer Science
Volume	143
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/app.57840
State	Published - Jan 5 2026

Funding

This manuscript has been authored by UT‐Battelle LLC under Contract No. DE‐AC05‐00OR22725 with the U.S. Department of Energy. The United States Government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the United States Government retains a non‐exclusive, paid‐up, irrevocable, world‐wide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for United States Government purposes. The Department of Energy will provide public access to these results of federally sponsored research in accordance with the DOE Public Access Plan ( http://energy.gov/downloads/doe‐public‐access‐plan ). This work was supported by Air Force Research Laboratory's Materials and Manufacturing Directorate (AFRL‐2024‐3254). Funding:

Keywords

inorganic polymers
rheology
spectroscopy
thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)
thermosets

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10.1002/app.57840

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title = "B-Staging and Crosslinking of Polycarbosilane at Room Temperature: Cure Mechanism and Properties",

abstract = "The viscosity of polycarbosilane (PCS) polymers is not advantageous for free forming. Various fillers and heat are used to obtain a formable paste. Due to the low yield stress, structures and preforms tend to slump or resin will flow out, especially during the curing of the polymer. B-staging of PCS allows for a more stable structure from room temperature until the full cure of the allyl groups occurs with heat. Additionally, hydrosilation is an effective means of crosslinking at room temperature and controlling viscosity. A network structure was formed in SMP-10 using silane and a vinyl-based crosslinker to bridge each polymer chain. Pt addition catalysts were added to enhance the increase in viscosity to make a lightly crosslinked gel to aid in thickening and forming and to improve the ceramic yield at 1000°C. This enables several options for controlling rheology and improving the properties of preceramic polymers to avoid slumping during curing.",

keywords = "inorganic polymers, rheology, spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), thermosets",

author = "Bullock, \{Steven E.\} and Cramer, \{Corson L.\} and Kidder, \{Michelle K.\} and Hershey, \{Chris J.\} and Lance, \{Michael J.\} and Damron, \{Josh T.\} and Lehmann, \{Michelle L.\} and Caitlyn Duggan",

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T2 - Cure Mechanism and Properties

AU - Bullock, Steven E.

AU - Cramer, Corson L.

AU - Kidder, Michelle K.

AU - Hershey, Chris J.

AU - Lance, Michael J.

AU - Damron, Josh T.

AU - Lehmann, Michelle L.

AU - Duggan, Caitlyn

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N2 - The viscosity of polycarbosilane (PCS) polymers is not advantageous for free forming. Various fillers and heat are used to obtain a formable paste. Due to the low yield stress, structures and preforms tend to slump or resin will flow out, especially during the curing of the polymer. B-staging of PCS allows for a more stable structure from room temperature until the full cure of the allyl groups occurs with heat. Additionally, hydrosilation is an effective means of crosslinking at room temperature and controlling viscosity. A network structure was formed in SMP-10 using silane and a vinyl-based crosslinker to bridge each polymer chain. Pt addition catalysts were added to enhance the increase in viscosity to make a lightly crosslinked gel to aid in thickening and forming and to improve the ceramic yield at 1000°C. This enables several options for controlling rheology and improving the properties of preceramic polymers to avoid slumping during curing.

AB - The viscosity of polycarbosilane (PCS) polymers is not advantageous for free forming. Various fillers and heat are used to obtain a formable paste. Due to the low yield stress, structures and preforms tend to slump or resin will flow out, especially during the curing of the polymer. B-staging of PCS allows for a more stable structure from room temperature until the full cure of the allyl groups occurs with heat. Additionally, hydrosilation is an effective means of crosslinking at room temperature and controlling viscosity. A network structure was formed in SMP-10 using silane and a vinyl-based crosslinker to bridge each polymer chain. Pt addition catalysts were added to enhance the increase in viscosity to make a lightly crosslinked gel to aid in thickening and forming and to improve the ceramic yield at 1000°C. This enables several options for controlling rheology and improving the properties of preceramic polymers to avoid slumping during curing.

KW - inorganic polymers

KW - rheology

KW - spectroscopy

KW - thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)

KW - thermosets

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B-Staging and Crosslinking of Polycarbosilane at Room Temperature: Cure Mechanism and Properties

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