Polyester resin-styrene systems properties

Epoxy vinyl ester resins are a special class of unsaturated resin. This resin is made by capping an epoxy resin with methacrylic acid and then dissolving in styrene monomer to the desired viscosity. This gives mechanical properties similar to epoxy resins, but the processibility (low viscosity allowing for resin infusion processes) of an unsaturated polyester resin. As with unsaturated vinyl esters, the most common fire retardant vinyl ester resin is based on a resin made from a halogenated system, tetrabromobisphenol A. The level of bromine in the resin and the presence of antimony will determine the fire performance of the resin. These resins are normally used for corrosion resistant equipment or when fire performance and high mechanical properties are required. It is very difficult to get a low smoke value with a brominated vinyl ester resin again due to the fact that bromine... 

Huang, Y.J. and Chen, L.D. 1997. Effects of chemical composition and structure of unsaturated polyester resins on the miscibility, sample morphology and mechanical properties of styrene/unsaturated polyester/low-profile additive ternary systems. 1. Miscibility and cured sample morphology. Polymer 39 6631-6641. 

Some polymerizable esters can be used as a copolymerizable internal plasticizer in technical applications. The best known of the group is diallyl phthalate (DAP), which is used to replace styrene, divinyl benzene, or methyl methacrylate in unsaturated polyester resins. It has a very low vapour pressure (300°C boiling point), leading to significant reduction in loss through evaporation. It considerably improves properties such as hardness, chemical resistance, hydrolysis resistance, electrical properties, and product life. It is particularly used in electrical applications, can be employed (after suitable preparation) in cold-cure systems, and shows high affinity to glass fibre. DAP can also be used as a reactive plasticizer with PVC resins. 

This technique has found the following applications in addition to those discussed in Sections 10.1 (resin cure studies on phenol urethane compositions) [65], 12.2 (photopolymer studies [66-68]), and 13.3 (phase transitions in PE) [66], Chapter 15 (viscoelastic and rheological properties), and Section 16.4 (heat deflection temperatures) epoxy resin-amine system [67], cured acrylate-terminated unsaturated copolymers [68], PE and PP foam [69], ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymers [70], natural rubbers [71, 72], polyester-based clear coat resins [73], polyvinyl esters and unsaturated polyester resins [74], polyimide-clay nanocomposites [75], polyether sulfone-styrene-acrylonitrile, PS-polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) blends and PS-polytetrafluoroethylene PMMA copolymers [76], cyanate ester resin-carbon fibre composites [77], polycyanate epoxy resins [78], and styrenic copolymers [79]. 

Because of their lesser ability to control shrinkage, the non-polar polymers such as polystyrene and polyethylene are often classified as low shrink rather than low profile additives. Usually, low profile additives are supplied as 30-40% polymer solutions in styrene monomer. Polyester resin manufacturers also package the low profile additives dissolved in their resins. These are referred to as one pack systems. As the industry has expanded, other thermoplastics have been identified which have shrinkage control properties. These are also now used commercially in a variety of applications. Examples of these other polyers are saturated polyesters, polyurethanes, stryene-butadiene copolymers and polycapro-lactones. Polyfvinyl acetate) based materials are probably still the most used low profile additives, being useful with the broadest range of unsaturated polyester resin structures. Relative proportions of the organics used in most formulations are 30-50% polyester alkyd, 10-20% thermoplastic and 40-50% styrene. 

Deanin and Dossi used the propylene oxide-MA reaction to prepare cured polyester resin products in a one-step procedure. In the method explored, the epoxide, MA, phthalic anhydride, styrene, lithium bromide, and benzoyl peroxide were combined, heated to a melt, and cured as castings. The properties of the cured materials were inferior to conventional systems. Others have also studied this concept.A one-step (condensation-addition) polymerization procedure has also been studied as a method for preparing coatings " and laminates with epoxy resins. 

When the resin temperature drops below the boiling point of the reactive diluent (usually styrene) the resin is pumped into a blending tank containing suitability inhibited diluent. It is common practice to employ a mixture of inhibitors in order to obtain a balance of properties in respect of colour, storage stability and gelation rate of catalysed resin. A typical system based on the above polyester fomulation would be ... 

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