Research

20 pages, 12043 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study on the Preparation and Process Parameter-Mechanical Property Relationships of Carbon Fiber Fabric Reinforced Poly(Ether Ether Ketone) Thermoplastic Composites

by Yan Wang, Yanchao Yang, Hongbo Zhang, Siwen Ding, Ting Yang, Jinhui Pang, Haibo Zhang, Jinling Zhang, Yunhe Zhang and Zhenhua Jiang

Polymers 2024, 16(7), 897; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16070897 - 25 Mar 2024

Viewed by 570

Abstract

Carbon fiber fabric-reinforced poly(ether ether ketone) (CFF-PEEK) composites exhibit exceptional mechanical properties, and their flexibility and conformability make them a promising alternative to traditional prepregs. However, the formation of the CFF-PEEK composite is trapped in the high viscosity of PEEK, the smooth surface, [...] Read more.

Carbon fiber fabric-reinforced poly(ether ether ketone) (CFF-PEEK) composites exhibit exceptional mechanical properties, and their flexibility and conformability make them a promising alternative to traditional prepregs. However, the formation of the CFF-PEEK composite is trapped in the high viscosity of PEEK, the smooth surface, and tightly interwoven bundles of CFF. It is more difficult for the resin to flow through the fibers of complex textile structures. Here, a simple film stacking method using the hot-pressing process of plain-woven CFF-PEEK thermoplastic composites is discussed. The uniform distribution of PEEK resin between each layer of CFF reduces the flow distance during the molding process, preventing defects in the composite material effectively. Four process parameters, including molding temperature (370, 385, 400, and 415 °C), molding pressure (1, 2, 4, 8, and 10 MPa), molding time (10, 20, 30, 40, 60, and 90 min), and pre-compaction process, are considered. Interlaminar shear strength (ILSS), tensile strength, and flexural strength of CFF/PEEK composites are evaluated to optimize the process parameters. Moreover, ultrasonic scanning microscopy and scanning electron microscopy are employed to observe the formation quality and microscopic failure modes of CFF/PEEK composites, respectively. The ultimate process parameters are a molding temperature of 410 °C, molding pressure of 10 MPa, molding time of 60 min, and the need for the pre-compaction process. Under the best process parameters, the ILSS is 62.5 MPa, the flexural strength is 754.4 MPa, and the tensile strength is 796.1 MPa. This work provides valuable insight for studying the process parameters of fiber fabric-reinforced thermoplastic polymer composites and revealing their impact on mechanical properties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer-Based Hybrid Composites II)

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15 pages, 1712 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Does Preheating Influence the Cytotoxic Potential of Dental Resin Composites?

by Erika Katalin Dunavári, Anna Kőházy, Mónika Vecsernyés, József Szalma, Bálint Viktor Lovász, Gergely Berta and Edina Lempel

Polymers 2024, 16(2), 174; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16020174 - 07 Jan 2024

Viewed by 842

Abstract

Resin-based dental composites (RBC) release cytotoxic components, however the extent of the elution from preheated RBCs is barely investigated. The aim was therefore to determine the cytotoxic effect of preheated conventional, bulk, and thermoviscous RBCs of clinically relevant sizes using different cell viability [...] Read more.

Resin-based dental composites (RBC) release cytotoxic components, however the extent of the elution from preheated RBCs is barely investigated. The aim was therefore to determine the cytotoxic effect of preheated conventional, bulk, and thermoviscous RBCs of clinically relevant sizes using different cell viability methods in a contact-free model. Samples (6 × 4 mm) were prepared from conventional [Estelite Sigma Quick (ESQ), Filtek Z250 (FZ)] and bulk-filled [Filtek One BulkFill Restorative (FOB), SDR Plus Bulk Flow (SDR), VisCalor Bulk (VCB)] RBCs. The pre-polymerization temperature was set to room temperature (RT) and 55/65 °C. Pulp cells were cultured, followed by a 2-day exposure to monomers released from solid RBC specimens suspended in the culture medium. Cytotoxicity was assessed using a WST-1, MTT, and LDH colorimetric viability assays. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, Tukey’s post hoc test, multivariate analysis, and independent t-test. The effect size (ƞp²) of material and temperature factors was also assessed. All the RBCs demonstrated cytotoxic effect upon exposure to pulp cells, but to a varying extent (ESQ >> VCB > FZ = FOB = SDR). The effect of pre-polymerization temperature was insignificant (ƞp² < 0.03), except for the thermoviscous RBC, which showed inconsistent findings when subjected to distinct viability tests. Cell viability was predominantly dependent on the type of material used (p < 0.001) which showed a large effect size (ƞp² > 0.90). Irrespective of the pre-polymerization temperature, RBC samples in a clinically relevant size can release monomers to such an extent, which can substantially decrease the cytocompatibility. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer-Based Hybrid Composites II)

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16 pages, 4189 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhancing Dielectric Properties, Thermal Conductivity, and Mechanical Properties of Poly(lactic acid)–Thermoplastic Polyurethane Blend Composites by Using a SiC–BaTiO₃ Hybrid Filler

by Eyob Wondu, Geunhyeong Lee and Jooheon Kim

Polymers 2023, 15(18), 3735; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15183735 - 12 Sep 2023

Viewed by 1125

Abstract

A composite of polymer blends—thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA)—and BaTiO₃–SiC was fabricated. BaTiO₃ particles were used to improve the dielectric properties of the composite materials, whereas SiC was used to enhance thermal conductivity without altering the dielectric properties; [...] Read more.

A composite of polymer blends—thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA)—and BaTiO₃–SiC was fabricated. BaTiO₃ particles were used to improve the dielectric properties of the composite materials, whereas SiC was used to enhance thermal conductivity without altering the dielectric properties; notably, SiC has a good dielectric constant. The surfaces of the filler particles, BaTiO₃ and SiC particles, were activated; BaTiO₃ was treated with methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) and SiC’s surface was subjected to calcination and acid treatment, and hybrid fillers were prepared via solution mixing. The surface modifications were verified using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (the appearance of OH showed acid treatment of SiC, and the presence of NH, CH₂, and OH groups indicated the functionalization of BaTiO₃ particles). After the extruded products were cooled and dried, the specimens were fabricated using minimolding. The thermal stability of the final composites showed improvement. The dielectric constant improved relative to the main matrix at constant and variable frequencies, being about fivefold for 40% BaTiO₃–SiC–TPU–PLA composites. Upon inclusion of 40 wt.% MDI functionalized BaTiO₃–SiC particles, an improvement of 232% in thermal conductivity was attained, in comparison to neat TPU–PLA blends. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer-Based Hybrid Composites II)

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17 pages, 4925 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Synthesis and Evaluation of Antifungal and Antibacterial Abilities of Carbon Nanotubes Grafted to Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) Nanocomposites

by Karina Sandoval-García, Abraham G. Alvarado-Mendoza, Eulogio Orozco-Guareño, María A. Olea-Rodríguez, Leonardo R. Cajero-Zul and Sergio M. Nuño-Donlucas

Polymers 2023, 15(18), 3657; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15183657 - 05 Sep 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1115

Abstract

Developing nanomaterials with the capacity to restrict the growth of bacteria and fungus is of current interest. In this study, nanocomposites of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) functionalized with primary amine, hydroxyl, and carboxyl groups were prepared and characterized. An analysis [...] Read more.

Developing nanomaterials with the capacity to restrict the growth of bacteria and fungus is of current interest. In this study, nanocomposites of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) functionalized with primary amine, hydroxyl, and carboxyl groups were prepared and characterized. An analysis by Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy showed that PHEMA chains were grafted to the functionalized CNTs. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy suggested that the grafting reaction was viable. The morphology of the prepared nanocomposites studied by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed significant changes with respect to the observed for pure PHEMA. The thermal behavior of the nanocomposites studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) revealed that the functionalized CNTs strongly affect the mobility of the PHEMA chains. Tests carried out by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were used to calculate the degree of grafting of the PHEMA chains. The ability of the prepared nanocomposites to inhibit the growth of the fungus Candida albicans and the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli was evaluated. A reduced antifungal and antibacterial capacity of the prepared nanocomposites was determined. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer-Based Hybrid Composites II)

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17 pages, 916 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Comparative Study on the Roll-to-Roll Processing of a Silicate–Polyvinyl Alcohol Composite Barrier Lacquer Using Slot-Die and Reverse Gravure Coating Techniques

by Stefan Schiessl, Esra Kucukpinar, Noémie Rivollier, Horst-Christian Langowski and Peter Eisner

Polymers 2023, 15(13), 2761; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15132761 - 21 Jun 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1663

Abstract

The integration of platelet-shaped montmorillonite particles to improve the oxygen barrier of polyvinyl-alcohol-based barrier layers is state-of-the-art, but research on roll-to-roll coatings of such composite barrier lacquers has not been widely published. In this study, two different coating techniques, slot-die and reverse gravure, [...] Read more.

The integration of platelet-shaped montmorillonite particles to improve the oxygen barrier of polyvinyl-alcohol-based barrier layers is state-of-the-art, but research on roll-to-roll coatings of such composite barrier lacquers has not been widely published. In this study, two different coating techniques, slot-die and reverse gravure, were used on a roll-to-roll scale to apply barrier lacquers comprising polyvinyl alcohol and montmorillonite. The lacquers were analyzed regarding viscosity at certain shear rates and surface energy and the dried coating layers regarding oxygen barrier, surface morphology, and particle orientation. Low permeability coefficients delivering a high oxygen barrier of 0.14 and 0.12

\frac{{cm}^{3} (STP) 1 μ m}{m^{2} d bar}

were achieved for the coating layers with slot-die and reverse gravure coating, respectively. It turned out that the properties of the barrier lacquer need to be adjusted to the coating technique to achieve high oxygen barrier performance. By tailoring the barrier lacquer formulation, the orientation of the platelet-shaped montmorillonite particles can be achieved using both techniques. A low solid content of down to 3

wt %

is preferable for the premetered slot-die coating, because it results in low agglomeration quantity in the coating layer. A high solid content of up to 9

wt %

is preferable for the self-metered reverse gravure coating to assure a homogeneously coated layer. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer-Based Hybrid Composites II)

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18 pages, 4306 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Flax–Glass Fiber Reinforced Hybrid Composites Exposed to a Salt-Fog/Dry Cycle: A Simplified Approach to Predict Their Performance Recovery

by Luigi Calabrese, Dionisio Badagliacco, Carmelo Sanfilippo and Vincenzo Fiore

Polymers 2023, 15(11), 2542; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15112542 - 31 May 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 961

Abstract

Despite natural fibers gaining significant attention in recent decades, their limited performance and poor durability under humid environments cannot allow them to fully replace their synthetic counterparts as reinforcement for structural composites. In such a context, this paper aims to investigate how exposure [...] Read more.

Despite natural fibers gaining significant attention in recent decades, their limited performance and poor durability under humid environments cannot allow them to fully replace their synthetic counterparts as reinforcement for structural composites. In such a context, this paper aims to investigate how exposure to a humid/dry cycle affects the mechanical response of epoxy laminates reinforced with flax and glass fibers. In particular, the main goal is to assess the performance evolution of a glass–flax hybridized stacking sequence in comparison with the full glass and flax fiber reinforced composites. To this end, the investigated composites were first exposed to salt-fog for 15 or 30 days and then to dry conditions (i.e., 50% R.H. and 23 °C) for up to 21 days. The presence of glass fibers in the stacking sequence significantly stabilizes the mechanical performance of composites during the humid/dry cycle. Indeed, hybridization of inner flax laminae with outer glass ones, acting as a protective shield, hinders the composite degradation due to the humid phase also promoting performance recovery during the dry phase. Hence, this work showed that a tailored hybridization of natural fibers with glass fibers represents a suitable approach to extend the service-life of natural fiber reinforced composites exposed to discontinuous humid conditions, thus allowing their employment in practical indoor and outdoor applications. Finally, a simplified theoretical pseudo-second-order model that aimed to forecast the performance recovery shown by composites was proposed and experimentally validated, highlighting good agreement with the experimental data. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer-Based Hybrid Composites II)

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15 pages, 3423 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cyclic Testing of Polymer Composites and Textile Cords for Tires

by Jan Krmela, Michal Michna, Zdeněk Růžička, Vladimíra Krmelová and Artem Artyukhov

Polymers 2023, 15(10), 2358; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15102358 - 18 May 2023

Viewed by 1274

Abstract

This paper is oriented toward the specific testing of polymer composites and textile PA66 cords used as reinforcement for composites. The aim of the research is to validate the proposed new testing methods for low-cyclic testing of polymer composites and PA66 cords for [...] Read more.

This paper is oriented toward the specific testing of polymer composites and textile PA66 cords used as reinforcement for composites. The aim of the research is to validate the proposed new testing methods for low-cyclic testing of polymer composites and PA66 cords for the characterization of material parameters useful as input data for computational tire simulations. Part of the research is the design of experimental methods for polymer composites and test parameters such as load rate, preload, and other parameters such as strain for the start and stop of cycle steps. The DIN 53835-13 standard is used for the conditions of textile cord during the first five cycles. A cyclic load is carried out at two temperatures of 20 °C and 120 °C. The testing method includes a hold step for 60 s between each loop. The video-extensometer technique is used for testing. The paper evaluated the effect of temperatures on the material properties of PA66 cords. The true stress-strain (elongation) dependences between points for the video-extensometer of the fifth cycle of every cycle loop are the data results from composite tests. The forcestrain dependences between points for the video-extensometer are the data results from tests of the PA66 cord. These dependencies can be used as input material data of textile cords in the computational simulation of tire casings using a custom material model definition. The fourth cycle in every cycle loop of polymer composites can be considered a stable cycle because the change in the maximum true stress between the fourth and fifth cycles is 1.6%. Other results of this research include a relationship between stress and the number of cycle loops as the second-degree polynomial curve for polymer composites and a simple relationship to describe the value of the force at each end of the cycles for a textile cord. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer-Based Hybrid Composites II)

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16 pages, 7719 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Epoxy Resins for Flooring Applications, an Optimal Host for Recycling Deactivated Cement Asbestos

by Fabrizio Campanale, Fabrizio Vergani, Narcisa Mihaela Marian, Cecilia Viti, Alberto Bianchi, Silvia Ferrario, Michele Mauri and Giancarlo Capitani

Polymers 2023, 15(6), 1410; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15061410 - 12 Mar 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1316

Abstract

Cement asbestos slates, commonly known as Eternit^® and still abundant in private and public buildings, were deactivated through a thermal process. The resulting deactivated cement asbestos powder (DCAP), a mixture of Ca-Mg-Al silicates and glass, was compounded with Pavatekno Gold 200 (PT) [...] Read more.

Cement asbestos slates, commonly known as Eternit^® and still abundant in private and public buildings, were deactivated through a thermal process. The resulting deactivated cement asbestos powder (DCAP), a mixture of Ca-Mg-Al silicates and glass, was compounded with Pavatekno Gold 200 (PT) and Pavafloor H200/E (PF), two different epoxy resins (bisphenol A epichlorohydrin) for flooring applications. The addition of the DCAP filler to the PF samples causes a slight but acceptable decrease in the relevant mechanical properties (compressive, tensile, and flexural strengths) upon increasing DCAP content. The addition of the DCAP filler to pure epoxy (PT resin) causes a slight decrease in the tensile and flexural strengths with increasing DCAP content, while the compressive strength is almost unaffected, and the Shore hardness increases. The main mechanical properties of the PT samples are significantly better than those of the filler-bearing sample of normal production. Overall, these results suggest that DCAP can be advantageously used as filler in addition to, or in substitution for, commercial barite. In particular, the sample with 20 wt% of DCAP is the best performing in terms of compressive, tensile, and flexural strengths, whereas the sample with 30 wt% of DCAP shows the highest Shore hardness, which is an important property to be considered in flooring applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer-Based Hybrid Composites II)

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23 pages, 11517 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Novel Hybrid Composites Based on Polymers of Diphenyl-Amine-2-Carboxylic Acid and Highly Porous Activated IR-Pyrolyzed Polyacrylonitrile

by Sveta Zhiraslanovna Ozkan, Valeriy Alekseevich Petrov, Mikhail Nikolaevich Efimov, Andrey Aleksandrovich Vasilev, Dmitriy Gennad’evich Muratov, Alexey Aleksandrovich Sadovnikov, Galina Nikolaevna Bondarenko and Galina Petrovna Karpacheva

Polymers 2023, 15(2), 441; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15020441 - 13 Jan 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1190

Abstract

Hybrid composites based on electroactive polymers of diphenylamine-2-carboxylic acid (PDPAC) and highly porous carbon with a hierarchical pore structure were prepared for the first time. Activated IR-pyrolyzed polyacrylonitrile (IR-PAN-a), characterized by a highly developed surface, was chosen as a highly porous N-doped carbon [...] Read more.

Hybrid composites based on electroactive polymers of diphenylamine-2-carboxylic acid (PDPAC) and highly porous carbon with a hierarchical pore structure were prepared for the first time. Activated IR-pyrolyzed polyacrylonitrile (IR-PAN-a), characterized by a highly developed surface, was chosen as a highly porous N-doped carbon component of the hybrid materials. IR-PAN-a was prepared using pyrolysis of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) in the presence of potassium hydroxide under IR radiation. Composite materials were obtained using oxidative polymerization of diphenylamine-2-carboxylic acid (DPAC) in the presence of IR-PAN-a both in an acidic and an alkaline medium. The composite materials were IR-heated to reduce the oxygen content and enhance their physical and chemical properties. The chemical structure, morphology, and electrical and thermal properties of the developed IR-PAN-a/PDPAC composites were investigated. The IR-PAN-a/PDPAC composites are thermally stable and electrically conductive. During the synthesis of the composites in an acidic medium, doping of the polymer component occurs, which makes the main contribution to the composite conductivity (1.3 × 10^–5 S/cm). A sharp drop in the electrical conductivity of the IR-PAN-a/PDPAC_ac-IR composites to 3.4 × 10^–10 S/cm is associated with the removal of the dopant during IR heating. The IR-PAN-a/PDPAC_alk composites prepared before and after IR heating show a gradual increase in electrical conductivity by five orders of magnitude to 1.6 × 10^–5 S/cm at 25–10⁶ Hz. IR heating of the obtained materials leads to a significant increase in their thermal properties. The IR-heated composites lose half of their initial weight in an inert atmosphere at temperatures above 1000 °C, whereas for IR-PAN-a/PDPAC, the temperature range is 840–849 °C. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer-Based Hybrid Composites II)

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12 pages, 2275 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Selective Photocatalytic Reduction of Nitrobenzene to Aniline Using TiO₂ Embedded in sPS Aerogel

by Wanda Navarra, Olga Sacco, Vincenzo Venditto and Vincenzo Vaiano

Polymers 2023, 15(2), 359; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15020359 - 10 Jan 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2755

Abstract

In recent years, aromatic substances have become the focus of environmental pollution-related concern due to their high stability and mutagenicity. In this regard, researchers have focused their attention on the development of photocatalytic processes to convert nitroaromatic compounds into aniline. In this work, [...] Read more.

In recent years, aromatic substances have become the focus of environmental pollution-related concern due to their high stability and mutagenicity. In this regard, researchers have focused their attention on the development of photocatalytic processes to convert nitroaromatic compounds into aniline. In this work, the photocatalytic conversion of nitrobenzene (NB) to aniline (AN) was studied. The photocatalytic reaction was performed using commercial TiO₂ (P25) and a photocatalytic aerogel, based on P25 embedded in syndiotactic polystyrene (sPS) aerogel (sPS/P25 aerogel) as photocatalysts. Different alcohols were used as hydrogen sources during the photocatalytic experiments. At the optimized operating conditions (photocatalysts dosage: 0.5 mg/L and 50% (v/v) EtOH%), an AN yield of over 99% was achieved. According to the results, this work could open avenues toward effective production of AN from NB using mild reaction conditions with sPS/P25 aerogel—in view of a possible scale-up of the photocatalytic process. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer-Based Hybrid Composites II)

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14 pages, 3746 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Synergistic Effect of Polystyrene/Modified Boron Nitride Composites for Enhanced Mechanical, Thermal and Conductive Properties

by Shafi Ur Rehman, Sana Javaid, Muhammad Shahid, Nasir Mahmood Ahmad, Badar Rashid, Caroline R. Szczepanski and Asim Shahzad

Polymers 2023, 15(1), 235; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15010235 - 02 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1872

Abstract

Thermal conductivity (TC) and thermal stability are the basic requirements and highly desirable properties in thermal management, heat storage and heat transfer applications. This work is regarding the fabrication of polystyrene/boron nitride composites and melt extruded to produce good thermal stability, increased thermal [...] Read more.

Thermal conductivity (TC) and thermal stability are the basic requirements and highly desirable properties in thermal management, heat storage and heat transfer applications. This work is regarding the fabrication of polystyrene/boron nitride composites and melt extruded to produce good thermal stability, increased thermal conductivity and enhanced mechanical properties. Our strategy is potentially applicable to produce thermally conductive composites of low cost over large scale. Boron nitride powder is bath sonicated in 10% NH₃ solution to avoid its agglomeration and tendency toward entanglement in a polymer matrix. An approximately 67.43% increase in thermal conductivity and 69.37% increase in tensile strength as well as 56 multiple increases in thermal stability of the optimum samples were achieved. The developed polymeric composites are potentially applicable in the electronic industry, especially in electronic devices used for 5G, heat sink and several other aviation applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer-Based Hybrid Composites II)

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17 pages, 3140 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mechanism of Morphology Development in HDGEBA/PAMS Hybrid Thermosets: Monte Carlo Simulation and LSCM Study

by María G. González, Javier Pozuelo, Juan C. Cabanelas, María B. Serrano and Juan Baselga

Polymers 2022, 14(24), 5375; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14245375 - 08 Dec 2022

Viewed by 915

Abstract

Reactive combinations of aliphatic epoxy resins and functional polysiloxanes form a class of hybrid thermosetting materials with properties that may come from both the organic and the inorganic phases. The two typically immiscible phases form a suspension whose morphology, composition, and thermal properties [...] Read more.

Reactive combinations of aliphatic epoxy resins and functional polysiloxanes form a class of hybrid thermosetting materials with properties that may come from both the organic and the inorganic phases. The two typically immiscible phases form a suspension whose morphology, composition, and thermal properties vary with curing time. The aim of this research was to elucidate the mechanism by which morphology changed with time and to simulate it through Metropolis-Monte Carlo. The selected system was hydrogenated epoxy (HDGEBA) and a synthetic polyaminosiloxane (PAMS). It was studied by DSC, FTnIR, gel point, viscometry, and in-situ laser scanning confocal microscopy. A mechanism for morphology generation was proposed and simulated, exploring a wide range of values of the “a priori” relevant variables. The essential features were captured by simulations with a reasonable agreement with experimental data. However, the complete process was more complex than the geometrical approach of the simulation. The main deviations that were found and qualitatively explained are: (i) the induction period on the rate of coalescence, and (ii) PAMS-rich domain average size increases faster than predictions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer-Based Hybrid Composites II)

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