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From Thermoset to Thermoplastic: What's the Secret to the Mysterious Transformation of Polymer Matrix Composites?
In the world of materials science, polymer matrix composites (PMC) are a type of material that is extremely widely used today. They are composite materials composed of various short fibers or continuous fibers and an organic polymer matrix. Not only are these materials lightweight, they also offer excellent resistance to wear, corrosion, and high stiffness and strength in the direction of the reinforcing material. Therefore, PMC applications are indispensable from aerospace to automotive industries.
“Polymer matrix composites are not just a material, but an achievement that integrates technology and innovation.”
The matrix material of polymer matrix composites plays an extremely critical role, not only binding the fibers together but also responsible for transferring loads between fibers. These matrix materials are generally divided into thermosets and thermoplastics. Today, thermoset materials dominate practical applications, including a variety of resin systems such as epoxy resins, phenolic resins, polyurethanes, and polyimides. Epoxy resins continue to be widely used in the advanced composite materials industry. use.
Uniqueness of thermosetting resin
Thermosetting resin requires the use of a curing agent or hardener to promote the reaction. It is soaked in reinforcing materials and then cured to form a cured finished product. It is worth mentioning that once cured, such finished products cannot be changed or reshaped except for subsequent processing. Epoxy resin has been used in American industry for more than four decades and is known as one of the most commonly used materials.
“Epoxy resin has long been the first choice for advanced composite materials due to its excellent performance and reliable strength.”
In addition to epoxy resin, polyurethane and phenolic resin are also gradually gaining attention in the application of composite materials. These resins provide equal parts strength and durability when reinforcing composites, and their selection will depend on the desired performance characteristics of the final product.
The potential of thermoplastic resins
The representation of thermoplastic materials in polymer matrix composites is relatively small. The characteristic is that this type of material does not undergo chemical reactions during processing, but is formed into the finished product by applying heat and pressure. Unlike thermosets, thermoplastics can be heated again and reformed into other shapes, a property that gives them more flexibility.
“The reprocessability of thermoplastic resins makes them particularly important in the changing market demand.”
Application of fiber reinforcement and nanomaterials
In polymer matrix composites, the addition of fibers results in approximately 60% of the volume being reinforcing fibers. The more common fiber materials include glass fiber, graphite fiber and aramid fiber. Although fiberglass has relatively low stiffness, it is also relatively cheap, making it widely used in a variety of applications. In addition, carbon nanotubes are introduced as nanomaterials, which can significantly improve mechanical properties at a small volume ratio (less than 2%).
“Carbon nanotubes have become a popular direction in materials science research due to their excellent intrinsic mechanical properties and low density.”
However, achieving payload transfer between carbon nanotubes and polymer matrix relies on good interfacial bonding between the two. To this end, different methods have been developed to facilitate the binding between them, including non-covalent and covalent modification strategies. These strategies are expected to improve the performance of the final composite.
Future Outlook
With further developments in materials science, the potential of polymer matrix composites remains underexplored. Whether it is improving the performance of fibers, improving resin processing technology, or exploring new nanomaterials, they may become the focus of future research. Although thermoset materials dominate today’s market, the characteristics of thermoplastics undoubtedly bring new possibilities for future material design.
How can polymer matrix composites maintain their competitiveness on the ever-changing technological frontier and meet future needs?
