02 composite resins (2)
TRANSCRIPT
Composite Resins
A. Brent Strong, PhD
August 2003
What we will discuss
• Basics of composites• Matrix properties in general• Basics of polymers• Polyesters• Epoxies• Vinyl esters• Phenolics• Specialty thermosets• Thermoplastics• Properties and Testing
Composites
• Very important in our 21st Century world
• Listed as one of the top 10 greatest engineering developments of last quarter of the 20th Century– Others: Apollo moon landing, unmanned
satellites, microprocessor, CAD, CT scan, jumbo jet, lasers, fiber-optic communication, genetic engineering
What are composites?
• Solid materials composed of a binder or matrix that surrounds and holds in place reinforcements.– The material consists of two (or more) phases– One of the phases is continuous (the matrix)– The other phase is discontinuous (the
reinforcement)– The phases can be thought of as a group of
islands (discontinuous) in a sea (continuous)
Matrix purposes
• Hold the reinforcements together • Give shape to the object• Transfer loads to the reinforcements
Protect the reinforcements– Heat– Weather– Flammability– Impacts– Solvent/water
Reinforcement purposes
• Carry the load (most mechanical properties)
• Give directionality of some properties (optional)
Types of composites
• Engineering– Fiberglass reinforced– Matrix of unsaturated polyesters and vinyl esters or
common engineering thermoplastics– Uses: tub/shower, boats, automotive, pipes,
architectural, etc.
• Advanced– Carbon fiber, aramid fiber, or other high performance
reinforcements– Matrix of epoxies and specialty resins– Uses: aerospace, sporting goods, specialty
Basic Materials – a primer
• Three types of solid materials– Ceramics– Metals– Polymers
• These differ, at the most fundamental level, in the types of bonds between the atoms
Periodic Table of the ElementsMetals Non-Metals
Ceramics(Ionic Bonds)
Metals(Metallic Bonds)
Polymers(Covalent Bonds)
Polymers
• Polymers can be natural (like wood, cotton, wool, leather)
• Polymers can be man-made (plastics)
• Polymers can be easily shaped (molded)
• Polymers have other advantages over ceramics and metals
Polymers
• Made from small molecules (monomers) which are linked together– “mono” means one– “mer” means unit
• The linked monomers form a chain-like structure called a polymer– “poly” means many
• The links are the covalent bonds between the atoms
Polymers
M
M M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
Monomers
Polymer
CovalentBonds
Polymers
H
H
C
C
H
H
C
H
H
C
H
H
C
H
H C
H
H
H
H
C
CH
H
Monomer
Polymer
H
H
C
C
H
H
C
H
H
C
H
H
C
H
H C
H
H
H
H
C
CH
H
Polymer
Polymers
• Many millions of chains exist in the typical polymeric part
• The chains are intertwined – Like a mass of spaghetti
What determines physical, chemical and mechanical properties of
materials?
• Molecular shape and movement– Crystallinity– Thermal transitions and crosslinks – Aromaticity– Pendant groups– Chemical nature of the backbone
• Bonding between matrix and reinforcements • Polarity (like attracts like)
Polymers − Physical structure
• Amorphous − Polymers that have no regular internal structure (just like the spaghetti)
• Semi-crystalline − Polymers that have some internal structure (regular packing)– Semi-crystalline polymers vary in the amount of
packing (crystallinity)– Semi-crystalline polymers with high percentage of
packing are sometimes called crystalline – No polymers are 100% crystalline
Amorphous and Crystalline
Amorphous(random entanglement)
Semi-Crystalline or Crystalline(regular packing)
CrystalRegions
Polymers − melting, molecular weight, crosslinking
• Polymers are classified into two groups depending on whether they are crosslinked– Thermoplastics (not crosslinked)– Thermosets (crosslinked)
• Crosslinks are covalent bonds that link between the polymer chains
• When crosslinking occurs, the polymers will no longer melt– When heated to a high temperature, they burn or char
Thermoplastics• Thermoplastics are not crosslinked and so they
will melt• Thermoplastics are processed (molded) as
molten liquids • Thermoplastics are cooled to solidify• Thermoplastics can be re-melted repeatedly• Kitchen example:
candy
• Examples of thermoplastics: polyethylene, polystyrene, nylon, polycarbonate, acrylic, Teflon®, PET (thermoplastic polyester)
Thermosets
• Thermosets are crosslinked and do not melt • Crosslinking is sometimes called curing• Thermosets are processed as room
temperature liquids • Thermosets are heated to solidify• Kitchen example:
cake
• Examples of thermosets: polyesters, vinyl esters, epoxies, phenolics, polyimides, silicones
Thermal Transitions• Heat Distortion Temperature (HDT)
• Glass transition temperature (Tg)
• Melting point (Tm)
• Decomposition temperature (Td)
Semi-crystalline thermoplastic
Thermoset
Temperature
HDT TgTm Td
HDT TgTd
(Tm)
Hard, stiff Leathery Liquid
Degraded, Char
Degraded
Hard, stiff Semi-rigid
The Great Dilemma in Polymers
• Polymers must have good properties– Good properties are
favored by high molecular weight
• Polymers must have good processing– Good processing is
favored by low molecular weight
Molecular Weight
Me
ch
an
ica
l Pro
pe
rtie
s
Molecular Weight
Ea
se
of
Pro
ce
ss
ing
The Great Dilemma In Polymers
• Thermoplastics meet the dilemma by compromise– High enough molecular weight to get adequate
properties– Low enough molecular weight to process OK
• Thermosets meet the dilemma by crosslinking– Low molecular weight initially (for wetout and
processing) followed by curing to increase molecular weight
– No compromise is required
Polymers − Molecular shape• Aromatic − Contains the benzene group
(sometimes called phenyl group)– Named aromatic because it tends to have a strong
smell (like styrene)– Increases stiffness– Increases strength– Increases non-flammability
• Aliphatic −Does not contain the benzene group– Increases flexibility– Increases toughness– Increases weatherability
( )n...C C C C...CC...C C...
CC
CC
C
C
C...OC
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
OCC C
O
C......C
H
NC
C
C
C
C
C C C
C
C
C
C
C
O
OH OH
OHOHOH
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
....C C...
C.......C
Polyethylene (no aromatic)
Polystyrene (pendant aromatic)
Epoxy (aromatic backbone)
Kevlararomatic backbone)
Phenolic (aromatic network)
Bonding
• Bonding is strongest when electrons are:– Transferred (ceramics)– Shared by many atoms (metals)– Shared by two atoms (covalent)
• Weak bonding occurs without electrons being transferred or shared
• These weak bonds depend upon polarity
Polarity
N S S N
S N S N
...C C O
O
C...
-
-
O
HH
O
HH
C O --
C O
Polyester is attacked by water molecules
Bonding in polymers by polarity
• Polar areas on the polymers attract other polar areas on other molecules.– Opposite charges attract– The most electronegative atoms are those
that cause polarity– The electronegative atoms are: F, O, N, Cl– These are all in the upper right corner of the
periodic table
• Non-polar areas attract other non-polar areas
Bonding
Fiberglass
Sizing (alkylsilane)
...O Si O Si O...
OH
OH
OH
OH
....C C O C C C
O
C C...
CH3 Si O C C C
CH3
C C C C...
CH3 Nonpolar regions (weak attraction)
-
-
− A highly polar molecule
− Largely non-polarPolyester
− Mixed polar/non-polar
Thank you
A. Brent Strong