Determining the influence of the filler on the properties of structural thermal-resistant polymeric materials based on Phenylone C1

This paper reports a laboratory study of the physical, mechanical, and thermal properties of designed composite materials based on Phenylone C1 filled with silica gel. Structural plastics, due to their high chemical and wear resistance, sufficient level of physical, mechanical, and thermal properties, can significantly improve the technical characteristics of machines and mechanisms. However, some structural plastics, including Phenylone C1, have a significant drawback – a narrow temperature range of their processing, which leads to a complication of technological equipment and increases the cost of production. It was established that the technical processing of the initial composite material into finished products could be improved by introducing fillers. The regularities of influence of silica gel content on the level of thermal and physical-mechanical properties of polymer composite materials based on Phenylone C1 have been established. It was found that the introduction of silica gel into Phenylone C1 leads to an increase in stress at the yield strength and modulus of elasticity at compression by 6.3 % and 13.3 %, respectively, compared to the original material. It was established that the heat resistance of the filled composite increases by 11.6 % with a decrease in thermal linear expansion by 10‒20 %, depending on the content of the filler. It was found that with an increase in silica gel concentration in the polymer matrix, the temperature of the onset of active destruction shifts towards higher temperatures. When filled in the amount of 30 % by weight, this temperature reaches 375 °C, which increases the temperature range of processing the designed material by 25 °C. The study results make it possible to optimize the system of tolerances and landings of parts made of polymer-composite materials, simplify the technology of their manufacture, and, as a result, reduce their cost

Novel Eco-Friendly, Recycled Composites for Improved CA Road Surfaces

The continued use of structural plastics in consumer products, industry, and transportation represents a potential source for durable, long lasting, and recyclable roadways. Costs to dispose of reinforced plastics can be similar to procuring new asphalt with mechanical performance exceeding that of the traditional road surface. This project examines improved material development times by leveraging advanced computational material models based on validated experimental data. By testing traditional asphalt and select carbon and glass reinforced composites, both new and recycled, it is possible to develop a finite element simulation that can predict the material characteristics under a number of loads virtually, and with less lead time compared to experimental testing. From the tested specimens, composites show minimal strength degradation when recycled and used within the asphalt design envelopes considered, with an average of 49% less wear, two orders of magnitude higher compressive strength, and three orders for tensile strength. Predictive computational analysis using the validated material models developed for this investigation confirms the long-term durability.

High-Performance Biobased Unsaturated Polyester Nanocomposites with Very Low Loadings of Graphene

Graphene-reinforced tung oil (TO)-based unsaturated polyester nanocomposites were prepared via in situ melt polycondensation intergrated with Diels–Alder addition. Functionalized graphene sheets derived from graphene oxide (GO) were then extracted from the obtained nanocomposites and carefully characterized. Furthermore, dispersion state of the graphene nanosheets in the cured polymer composites and ultimate properties of the resultant biobased nanocomposites were investigated. Mechanical and thermal properties of the TO-based unsaturated polyester resin (UPR) were greatly improved by the incorporation of GO. For example, at the optimal GO content (only 0.10 wt %), the obtained biobased nanocomposite showed tensile strength and modulus of 43.2 MPa and 2.62 GPa, and Tg of 105.2 °C, which were 159%, 191%, and 49.4% higher than those of the unreinforced UPR/TO resin, respectively. Compared to neat UPR, the biobased UPR nanocomposite with 0.1 wt % of GO even demonstrated superior comprehensive properties (comparable stiffness and Tg, while better toughness and thermal stability). Therefore, the developed biobased UPR nanocomposites are very promising to be applied in structural plastics.

Experimental Investigation on Axially Loaded PFRP Compression Members Having Double C-Sections

This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation on axially loaded PFRP compression members having double C-sections with pinned-pinned supports. The objectives of this research work are to investigate their structural behaviors and modes of failure and to propose their design equations. The specimens were built from single PFRP C-section, having three cross-sectional dimensions of 76×22×6 mm, 102×29×6 mm and 152×43×10 mm. A total of 42 specimens with slenderness ratios ranging from 21 to 168 were tested. The compression members can be classified as short and long. The short compression members have linear behavior up to 90% to 95% of the ultimate crushing loads. The long compression members have linear behavior up to 80-90% of the flexural buckling loads. By comparing and fitting the test results with the design equations as presented in the ASCE Structural Plastics Design Manual, the design equations that can be used to predict the ultimate compressive stress of the compression members were proposed.