Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
5439736 | Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing | 2016 | 8 Pages |
Abstract
A new block copolymer-thermoplastic dual toughening concept for high performance RTM6 epoxy matrix composites is elaborated through a comprehensive microstructural study of well-defined model systems. A blend of phenoxy and MAM (copolymer of poly(methyl methacrylate) and poly(butyl acrylate)) increases the toughness of the corresponding carbon fiber reinforced composite by 125%, a five-fold synergistic improvement over the situation where the tougheners are used alone at the same total concentration. Selective intercalation of blended toughener thin films in the preform gives rise to a diffusion-induced composition gradient during the RTM process, which generates a morphology gradient upon curing. The observed microstructures results from MAM self-assembly in the miscible mixture of phenoxy and the epoxy resin precursor, followed by reaction induced phase separation, forming wormlike micelles, interconnected micelles and co-continuous morphologies. The resulting microstructures activate different toughening mechanisms responsible for the observed synergy.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Materials Science
Ceramics and Composites
Authors
Amir Bahrami, François Cordenier, Pascal Van Velthem, Wael Ballout, Thomas Pardoen, Bernard Nysten, Christian Bailly,