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Polymers
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Epoxy Thermoset Polymer Composites
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Epoxy Thermoset Polymer Composites

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Composites and Nanocomposites".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2024 | Viewed by 2022

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Angels Serra

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Guest Editor
Department of Analytical and Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University Rovira i Virgili, C/ Marcel lí Domingo s/n, N4, 43001 Tarragona, Spain
Interests: epoxy thermosets; click-crosslinkable materials; dual curing; curing mechanisms; structural characterization; spectroscopy; synthesis of monomers; ring-opening polymerization; hyperbranched polymers; star polymers; mechanical characterization; thermal characterization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Adrià Roig

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Co-Guest Editor
Department of Analytical and Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University Rovira i Virgili, C/ Marcel lí Domingo s/n, N4, 43001 Tarragona, Spain
Interests: thermosets; dual curing; vitrimers; adhesion; thermomechanical characterization

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Epoxy thermoset composites represent a class of materials with a wide array of applications across demanding industries, including, but not limited to, automotive and aerospace industries, marine construction, and electronics. The versatility of epoxy matrices is further accentuated by the choice of fillers or fibers, expanding the potential utility of these materials. Key attributes defining these composites include exceptional mechanical performance and remarkable stability in both environmental and chemical contexts.

Within the aerospace sector, synthetic fiber-reinforced epoxy composites, such as aramides, have witnessed growing adoption due to their exceptional structural properties, including extended fatigue life, high stiffness, impressive strength, and low density. Uni- and bidimensional carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy composites are predominantly employed when material robustness stands as the primary requirement.

In the realm of electrical and electronic components, epoxy nanocomposites have gained significant prominence. The incorporation of nanofillers serves to enhance their mechanical and barrier characteristics. Introducing carbon nanotubes, graphene, or graphite into epoxy matrices offers the opportunity to improve the electrical conductivity of epoxy thermosets. Additionally, the inclusion of ceramic fillers such as BN or SiC4 leads to an increase in their thermal conductivity.

While epoxy thermosets reinforced with natural fibers have been under development for many years, they continue to be the subject of ongoing research and find extensive use in applications ranging from building construction to the fabrication of tanks, boats, and sporting equipment.

Nevertheless, there are a considerable number of composite variations designed to address specific gaps present in non-reinforced epoxy resins, thereby opening up an expansive realm of potential applications for these materials.

The objective of this Special Issue is to provide fresh perspectives on the enhancement of these materials by incorporating various fillers and fibers tailored to meet the diverse demands of cutting-edge technologies. This publication encompasses the entire spectrum of activities associated with these materials, ranging from their manufacturing processes and comprehensive characterization to their utilization in engineering applications. This Special Issue particularly focuses on purposefully engineered composites that endow these materials with intriguing and unique properties.

Prof. Dr. Angels Serra
Dr. Adrià Roig
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • epoxy thermosets
  • fiber-reinforced composites
  • nanocomposites
  • conductivity
  • mechanical properties

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 2480 KiB  
Article
Characterization of Potting Epoxy Resins Performance Parameters Based on a Viscoelastic Constitutive Model
by Lin Yang, Anxin Ding, Mi Xu, Yuefang Li, Xianhang Zhao, Jingxuan Peng and Xiang Li
Polymers 2024, 16(7), 930; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16070930 - 28 Mar 2024
Viewed by 528
Abstract
To describe the evolution of residual stresses in epoxy resin during the curing process, a more detailed characterization of its viscoelastic properties is necessary. In this study, we have devised a simplified apparatus for assessing the viscoelastic properties of epoxy resin. This apparatus [...] Read more.
To describe the evolution of residual stresses in epoxy resin during the curing process, a more detailed characterization of its viscoelastic properties is necessary. In this study, we have devised a simplified apparatus for assessing the viscoelastic properties of epoxy resin. This apparatus employs a confining cylinder to restrict the circumferential and radial deformations of the material. Following the application of load by the testing machine, the epoxy resin sample gradually reduces the gap between its surface and the inner wall of the confining cylinder, ultimately achieving full contact and establishing a continuous interface. By recording the circumferential stress–strain on the outer surface of the confining cylinder, we can deduce the variations in material bulk and shear moduli with time. This characterization spans eight temperature points surrounding the glass transition temperature, revealing the bulk and shear relaxation moduli of the epoxy resin. Throughout the experiments, the epoxy resin’s viscoelastic response demonstrated a pronounced time-temperature dependency. Below the glass transition temperature, the stress relaxation response progressively accelerated with increasing temperature, while beyond the glass transition temperature, the stress relaxation time underwent a substantial reduction. By applying the time-temperature superposition principle, it is possible to construct the relaxation master curves for the bulk and shear moduli of the epoxy resin. By fitting the data, we can obtain expressions for the constitutive model describing the viscoelastic behavior of the epoxy resin. In order to validate the reliability of the test results, a uniaxial tensile relaxation test was conducted on the epoxy resin casting body. The results show good agreement between the obtained uniaxial relaxation modulus curves and those derived from the bulk and shear relaxation modulus equations, confirming the validity of both the device design and the testing methodology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Epoxy Thermoset Polymer Composites)
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22 pages, 8253 KiB  
Article
Development of an Electroactive and Thermo-Reversible Diels–Alder Epoxy Nanocomposite Doped with Carbon Nanotubes
by Isaac Lorero, Álvaro Rodríguez, Mónica Campo and Silvia G. Prolongo
Polymers 2023, 15(24), 4715; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15244715 - 15 Dec 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 996
Abstract
The manufacturing of Diels–Alder (D-A) crosslinked epoxy nanocomposites is an emerging field with several challenges to overcome: the synthesis is complex due to side reactions, the mechanical properties are hindered by the brittleness of these bonds, and the content of carbon nanotubes (CNT) [...] Read more.
The manufacturing of Diels–Alder (D-A) crosslinked epoxy nanocomposites is an emerging field with several challenges to overcome: the synthesis is complex due to side reactions, the mechanical properties are hindered by the brittleness of these bonds, and the content of carbon nanotubes (CNT) added to achieve electroactivity is much higher than the percolation thresholds of other conventional resins. In this work, we develop nanocomposites with different D-A crosslinking ratios (0, 0.6, and 1.0) and CNT contents (0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, and 0.9 wt.%), achieving a simplified route and avoiding the use of solvents and side reactions by selecting a two-step curing method (100 °C-6 h + 60 °C-12 h) that generates the thermo-reversible resins. These reversible nanocomposites show ohmic behavior and effective Joule heating, reaching the dissociation temperatures of the D-A bonds. The fully reversible nanocomposites (ratio 1.0) present more homogeneous CNT dispersion compared to the partially reversible nanocomposites (ratio 0.6), showing higher electrical conductivity, as well as higher brittleness. For this study, the nanocomposite with a partially reversible matrix (ratio 0.6) doped with 0.7 CNT wt.% was selected to allow us to study its new smart functionalities and performance due to its reversible network by analyzing self-healing and thermoforming. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Epoxy Thermoset Polymer Composites)
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