Reinforced plastics thermosetting resins used

Reinforced plastics are composites in which a resin is combined with a reinforcing agent to improve one or more properties of the resin matrix. The resin may be either thermosetting or thermoplastic. Typical thermosetting resins used in RPs include unsaturated polyester, epoxy, phenolic, melamine, silicone, alkyd, and diallyl phthalate. In the field of reinforced thermoplastics (RTFs), virtually every type of thermoplastic material can be, and has been, reinforced and commercially molded. The more popular grades include nylon, polystyrene, polycarbonate, polyporpylene, polyethylene, acetal, PVC, ABS, styrene-acrylonitrile, polysulfone, polyphenylene sulfide, and thermoplastic polyesters. 

The matrix in reinforced plastics may be either a thermosetting or thermoplastic resin. The major thermosetting resins used in conjunction with glass-fiber reinforcement are unsaturated polyester resins and, to a lesser extent, epoxy resins. These resins have the advantage that they can be cured (cross-linked) at room temperature, and no volatiles are liberated during curing. 

Chemical resistance (reagent resistance] n. The ability of a plastic to maintain structural and esthetic integrity when exposed to acids, alkalis, solvents, and other chemicals. ASTM tests for chemical resistance of plastics include C 581, chemical resistance of thermosetting resins used in glass-fiber-reinforced structures D 543, resistance of plastics to chemical reagents D 1239, resistance of plastic films to extraction by chemicals D 1712, resistance of plastics to sulfide staining D 21451, test... 

The widespread application of fiberglass-reinforced plastic (FRP) composites has prompted comparative testing for resistance to bleaching solutions [107], Coupons were prepared in accordance with ASTM C 581 (Practice for Determining Chemical Resistance of Thermosetting Resins Used in Glass Fiber-Reinforced Structures Intended for Liquid... 

Similar to all commercial plastics, the traditional and more commonly used thermosetting resins are considered as petrochemicals, having been manufactured from petroleum. Some of the primary distillation products of crude oil, which can be classified either as olefins or aromatics, serve as precursors for the synthesis of thermosets. For example, epoxy resins are manufactured by the reaction of epichlorohydrin, a chloro-oxirane, and a derivative of propylene, with bisphenol A, which is a derivative of cumene. Another example would be the unsaturated polyesters (UPs), which are derivatives ultimately originating from ethylene (ethylene glycol) and benzene (maleic acid) [6]. Epoxies and polyesters constitute more than 95% of the thermoset composite market of the two, polyester-based systems predominate in volume by about 10-fold [6, 7]. Other thermoset resins used in reinforced form are phenolics, vinyl esters, and polyimides. Details of the properties and applications of these thermoset systems will be further discussed in the following section. 

Thermosetting unsaturated polyester resins constitute the most common fiber-reinforced composite matrix today. According to the Committee on Resin Statistics of the Society of Plastics Industry (SPl), 454,000 t of unsaturated polyester were used in fiber-reinforced plastics in 1990. These materials are popular because of thek low price, ease of use, and excellent mechanical and chemical resistance properties. Over 227 t of phenoHc resins were used in fiber-reinforced plastics in 1990 (1 3). PhenoHc resins (qv) are used when thek inherent flame retardance, high temperature resistance, or low cost overcome the problems of processing difficulties and lower mechanical properties. 

Some of the common types of plastics that ate used ate thermoplastics, such as poly(phenylene sulfide) (PPS) (see Polymers containing sulfur), nylons, Hquid crystal polymer (LCP), the polyesters (qv) such as polyesters that ate 30% glass-fiber reinforced, and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), and polyetherimide (PEI) and thermosets such as diaHyl phthalate and phenoHc resins (qv). Because of the wide variety of manufacturing processes and usage requirements, these materials ate available in several variations which have a range of physical properties. 

Important thermosetting plastics include the phenolics, melamine-formaldehyde, epoxides and polyester resins used in glass-reinforced plastics. (See also Sections 14.5 and 14.9.)... 

The polyester resins, reinforced with glass fibre, are the most common thermosetting plastics used for chemical plant. Complex shapes can be easily formed using the techniques developed for working with reinforced plastics. Glass-reinforced plastics are relatively... 

Common to all reinforced plastics are two ingredients, resin and reinforcement. Resin is an oiganic material, usually of high molecular weight, that can be molded and set into a final shape. Resins are of two basic types. Thermoplastic resins soften upon heating, are shaped in a mold, and retain that shape when cooled. Common examples are nylon, polyethylene, polypropylene, and polycarbonate. Thermosetting resins are placed in a mold and cured by the use of a catalyst, heat, or both, until they harden in the shape of the mold. Common examples are polyester, vinyl ester, epoxies, phenolics, and p olyure thanes. 

Reinforced plastics may also include fillers (qv), which are inexpensive materials such as calcium carbonate used to displace resin and reduce cost curing agents (catalysts), promoters, inhibitors, and accelerators, which affect thermosetting resin cure colorants release agents (qv) to facilitate removal from the mold and other additives which can impart a wide variety of properties to the finished part, such as fire resistance, electrical conductivity, static dissipation, and ultraviolet resistance. 

Fiber reinforced plastics (FRP) are widely utilized now for a number of cryogenic applications. The matrices used are generally thermosetting resins such as epoxies, polyesters and phenolics, since they are easy to apply in impregnating processes. 

The resin matrix can be either thermosetting or thermoplastic. Thermosetting resins such as epoxy, polyimide, polyester, and phenolic are used in applications where physical properties are important. Polyester and epoxy composites make up the bulk of the thermoset composite market. Of these two, polyesters dominate by far. Reinforced with glass fiber, these are known as fiberglass-reinforced plastics (FRPs). FRPs are molded by layup and spray-up methods or by compression molding either a preform or sheet molding compound (SMC). 

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