Thermosets, definition

Plastics are subidivided into two types thermoplastic and thermosetting. The thermoplastics can be softened by heat and hardened again by subsequent cooling. This process is reversible and can be repeated many times. By contrast, the thermosetting resins are first softened and melted and, at subsequent heating to a definite temperature, they are irreversibly hardened, becoming insoluble [53]. 

The cationic polymerization of cardanol under acidic conditions has been referred to earlier [170,171], NMR studies [16] indicated a carbonium ion initiated mechanism for oligomerization. PCP was found to be highly reactive with aldehydes, amines, and isocyates. Highly insoluble and infusible thermoset products could be obtained. Hexamine-cured PCP showed much superior thermal stability (Fig. 12) at temperatures above 500°C to that of the unmodified cardanol-formaldehyde resins. However, it was definitely inferior to phenolic resins at all temperatures. The difference in thermal stability between phenolic and PCP resins could be understood from the presence of the libile hydrocarbon segment in PCP. 

Syntactic foams are obtained by mixing hollow micro- or macro-balloons, generally made of glass but sometimes of polymer, directly with a liquid resin, generally a thermoset. Some extend this definition to all composites with a foamed core. 

Chapter 22 didn t give you a very satisfying definition of resins. But its useful here to talk about two classes of polymers called resins thermosets and engineering thermoplastics. 

Usually an indication of molecular mixing can be theoretically calculated based on composite Tg s. When the glass transition temperature of the SIPN was between that of the neat components, molecular interactions were assumed. A definite increase in Tg resulted in these materials. No calculated Tg can be compared since the thermoset did not show a Tg. It was interesting to note that the beta transition of the triazine network was unaffected, but the Tg for the composite was much higher relative to the thermoplastic alone. System II showed a 20 C increase in Tg, while I showed a large increase, changing from 62 C to 125°C. 

Thermal stability as measured by these ramped TGA experiments of the sort previously described are not the definitive test of a polymer s utility at elevated temperature. Rather, for a polymer to be useful at elevated temperatures, it must exhibit some significant retention of useful mechanical properties over a predetermined lifetime at the maximum temperature that will be encountered in its final end use application. While many of the bisbenzocyclobutene polymers have been reported in the literature, only a few have been studied in detail with regards to their thermal and mechanical performance at both room and elevated temperatures. Tables 7-10 show some of the preliminary mechanical data as well as some other physical properties of molded samples of polymers derived from amide monomer 32, ester monomer 40, diketone monomer 14 and polysiloxane monomer 13. The use of the term polyamide, ester etc. with these materials is not meant to imply that they are to be regarded as merely modified linear thermoplastics. Rather, these polymers are for the most part highly crosslinked thermosets. 

Alkyd resins have been the workhorse for the coatings industry over the last half century. The term alkyd was coined to define the reaction product of polyhydric alcohols and polybasic acids, in other words, polyesters. However, its definition has been narrowed to include only those polyesters containing monobasic acids, usually long-chain fatty acids. Thus thermoplastic polyesters typified by polyethylene terephthalate (PET) used in synthetic fibers, films, and plastics and unsaturated polyesters typified by the condensation product of glycols and unsaturated dibasic acids (which are widely used in conjunction with vinylic monomers in making sheet molding compounds or other thermosetting molded plastics) are not considered as part of the alkyd family and are beyond the scope of the present discussion. 

Properties of a thermoset can be varied by using different formulations such as fiber content, filler content, etc. this uniqueness makes it difficult to generalize the definition of properties of the material. Its characteristics are used as guidelines in part design and material selection to understand the effect of the change in formulation on mechanical properties. Table 6 shows static and impact properties of SMC, BMC, LPMC, and ZMC. Tensile and flexural properties are routinely... 

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