Morphology development of rubber-modified epoxy thermosets

Conference · Tue Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1996

OSTI ID:441492

Kwon, O; Ward, T C ^[1]

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1. Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ., Blacksburg, VA (United States)

Epoxy thermosets have been widely used as high performance adhesives and matrix resins for composites due to their outstanding mechanical and thermal properties, such as high modulus and tensile strength, high glass transition temperature, high thermal stability, and moisture resistance. Incorporation of a secondary rubbery phase into the glassy epoxy matrix can improve impact and fracture toughness of epoxy thermosets without sacrificing the other desirable properties of the neat epoxy thermoset. During the curing process, the initial homogeneous solution of epoxy resin-curing agent-rubber generally forms rubber-rich and epoxy-rich phases by a phase separation process which is arrested by gelation or vitrification. The final morphology developed by the cure depends on relative rates of cure reaction and phase separation. Cure conditions and the initial rubber composition control the morphology of the system and thus control the mechanical properties of the system.

• OSTI ID: 441492
• Report Number(s): CONF-960214--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
BINARY MIXTURES
CURING
EPOXIDES
FRACTURE PROPERTIES
MORPHOLOGY
RUBBERS