Abstract

The aim of the study was to define the composition and methodology for manufacturing laminated composites of polypropylene and continuous fiber reinforcement. These composites are designed with the aim of being integrated into high mechanical performance lightweight parts obtained by high production rate manufacturing processes such as compression molding or the overinjection. The complete cycle of production of the polypropylene textile laminate composites has been analyzed, going from the selection and additivation of raw materials, treatment of the reinforced fibers and fabrication and characterization of the composite laminates. The study has focused on composites based on polypropylene resins and twill 2/2 reinforcements of fiberglass fabric.

Abstract

Specifically, the use of vinyl ester resins has been studied profusely in both the maritime and industrial sectors and with less time, in the use of reinforcement in civil engineering structures and architecture as passive reinforcements. The resin used in the present work is novel, and still little used. It is vinyl ester resin of bisphenol-A segment modified with urethane. This presents a greater resistance to chemical agents such as those of the petroleum industry, alkaline agents and vapors; together with a lower exotherm that facilitates the manufacture of thick laminates.

A thermal and mechanical characterization has been carried out through the techniques of Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Thermogravimetry (TGA) of said resin reinforced with high grammage (780 g / cm2) fiber of E glass to evaluate the degradation of the composite and its mechanical properties to the interlaminar shear and bending. The influence of the contact with self-compacting concrete (HAC) on said material, imbedded inside its matrix as a reinforcement, as if it were a passive reinforcement, as well as an accelerated aging study in solution simulating the exudation liquid of the concrete pores (LPH) through said characterization. With the obtained results, it is evaluated and compared, from the point of view of degradation-stiffening vs. mechanical properties, with the traditional Bisphenol-A (VEBA) resins, as well as its suitability for the aforementioned applications, resulting in a resin with better properties than the VEBA.

Abstract

One of the main problems of composites is fire resistance properties. New fire-retardant additives are able to modestly improve this problem, although mechanical properties can be depleted.

For this reason, a large variety of phosphorus-based flame retardants have been studied for their flammability and their rheological and mechanical properties [1,2]. However, little research has been done on the mechanical and rheological properties of epoxy resins with non-halogenated flame retardants, and these must be at least mentioned in conjunction with the fire retardant characteristics, in order to acquire a global view of the compound.

In this work, the correlation between the addition of non- halogenated flame retardants and the mechanical properties of composites (tensile properties, interlaminar shear, flexure) and different types of fiber (basalt and glass) has been researched.