Preparation and properties of optically transparent, pressure-cured poly(methyl methacrylate) composites

Miscellaneous · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1993

OSTI ID:6976562

Weaver, K D

The objective of this work was to develop optically transparent glass fiber reinforced poly(methyl methacrylate) composites by matching the refractive index of the glass fiber to that of the PMMA matrix. A pressure curing process [65[degrees]C under 6.9 MPa N[sub 2] for 18 hrs] is described for preparing composites 10 [times] 15 [times] 0.6 cm which typically contain [approximately]10 vol% of 13[mu]m diameter fiber and have 84% optical transmission (92% maximum for PMMA) at 600 nm and 25[degrees]C. Evidence is presented relating the interfacial bonding strength and the optical transmission of transparent, glass fiber (13 [mu]m) reinforced PMMA composites. The temperature dependent (20-50[degrees]C) transmission of composites containing uncoated fiber and fiber coated with divinyltetramethyl disilazane or 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate was found to decrease in the same order as the bond strength of the PMMA/fiber interface, namely, silane coated, disilazane coated, and uncoated fiber. By using annealed (1 1/3 hours/400[degrees]C) 13 [mu]m BK10 fiber, these pressure-cured composites function optically as ultra-violet Solid Matrix Christiansen Filters. The composite filters have an optical transmission of 51% at 51[degrees]C and 305 nm with a half-height bandwidth of only 28 nm, which is more wavelength selective than reported solid matrix Christiansen filters and typical band pass filters. While the density (1.18-1.19 g/ml at 23[degrees]C) and coefficient of thermal expansion (9.9[times]10[sup [minus]5] K[sup [minus]1]) show no change at these curing conditions, the minimum stress to craze (33 wt% toluene in isobutyl acetate) for pressure-cured [65[degrees]C/6.9 MPa N[sub 2]/18 hrs] PMMA was found to be improved.

• Research Organization: Missouri Univ., Rolla, MO (United States)
• OSTI ID: 6976562
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Thesis (Ph.D.)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
PMMA
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
SYNTHESIS
REINFORCED PLASTICS
CURING
OPACITY
ESTERS
MATERIALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLASTICS
POLYACRYLATES
POLYMERS
POLYVINYLS
REINFORCED MATERIALS
SYNTHETIC MATERIALS
360601* - Other Materials- Preparation & Manufacture
360606 - Other Materials- Physical Properties- (1992-)