Polymer Matrix

Composites (PMC)

Reasons for the use of

polymeric materials as matrices
in composites

i. The mechanical properties of polymers

are inadequate for structural purposes,
hence benefits are gained by reinforcing the
polymers
Processing of PMCs need not involve high
pressure and high temperature
The equipment required for PMCs are
much simpler

Disadvantages of PMC
Low maximum working
temperature
High coefficient of thermal
expansion- dimensional
instability
Sensitivity to radiation and
moisture

Classification of
Polymer Matrices
1. Thermoset
2. Thermoplastic- crystalline &
amorphous
3. Rubber

Thermoset
Thermoset materials are usually liquid or malleable prior to curing,
and designed to be molded into their final form
has the property of undergoing a chemical reaction by the action
of heat, catalyst, ultraviolet light, etc., to become a relatively
insoluble and infusible substance.
They develop a well-bonded three-dimensional structure upon
curing. Once hardened or cross-linked, they will decompose
rather than melt.
A thermoset material cannot be melted and re-shaped after it is
cured.
Thermoset materials are generally stronger than thermoplastic
materials due to this 3-D network of bonds, and are also better
suited to high-temperature applications up to the decomposition
temperature of the material.

 Some examples of Thermosets are:

Polyester resin (used in glass-reinforced
plastics/fibreglass (GRP))
Epoxy resin (used as an adhesive and in
fibre reinforced plastics such as glass
reinforced plastic and
graphite-reinforced plastic)
Polyimides used in printed circuit boards
and in body parts of modern airplanes
Vulcanized rubber
Phenolic

 Polyester
- polyester resins are generally copolymers of
unsaturated polyesters with styrene
- Styrene is the crosslinking monomer and
curing is effected by the use of an organic
peroxide initiator which generates free radicals
leading to the formation of 3-D network
- Are relatively inexpensive and have low
viscosities, which is beneficial in many
fabrication processes

 Epoxy
is a thermosetting epoxide polymer that cures
(polymerizes and crosslinks) when mixed with
a catalyzing agent or "hardener".
More expensive and more viscous than
polyester
Epoxies have a major advantage in that they
are usually cured in two or more stages. This
allows preforms to be pre-impregnated with the
epoxy in a partially cured state
The pre-preg may be stores, before moulded
into the final shape and then cured

- Generally start as linear low molecular weight

polymer, curing agents such as polyamides &
polyamines were used as curing agents

- The mechanical properties depend on the

particular resin system and the curing;
generally epoxies are stiffer and stronger, but
brittle than polyester
- Epoxies maintain their properties to higher
temperature than polyester

Phenolic
Produced by reacting phenol and
formaldehyde, characteristics of the resin
product depending on the proportions of the
reactant and catalyst
Good fire resistance
An undesirable feature of phenolic resinvolatile by-product are evolved during curing;
hence high pressures are often necessary in
composite production

Polyimides
More expensive, less widely used than
polyester and epoxies, but can withstand
relatively high service temperature
The presence of ring structure, results in high
stiffness, low CTE, and service temperature as
high as 425C for several hours
Like other thermoset, polyimides are brittle

where R and R are two carbon atoms of an aromatic ring.

Thermoplastic

is a plastic that melts to a liquid when heated and

freezes to a brittle, very glassy state when cooled
sufficiently.
Most thermoplastics are high molecular weight
polymers whose chains associate through weak van
der Waals forces (polyethylene); stronger dipole-dipole
interactions and hydrogen bonding (nylon); or even
stacking of aromatic rings (polystyrene).
The bondings are easily broken by the cobined action
of thermal activation and applied stress, thats why
thermoplastics flow at elevated temperature
unlike thermosetting polymers, thermoplastic can be
remelted and remolded.

 Thermoplastics can go through

melting/freezing cycles repeatedly and the
fact that they can be reshaped upon
reheating gives them their name
Some thermoplastics normally do not
crystallize: they are termed "amorphous"
plastics and are useful at temperatures
below the Tg. They are frequently used in
applications where clarity is important.
Some typical examples of amorphous
thermoplastics are PMMA, PS and PC.
Generally, amorphous thermoplastics are
less chemically resistant

 Depends on the structure of the

thermoplastics, some of the polymeric structure
can be folded to form crystalline regions, will
crystallize to a certain extent and are called
"semi-crystalline" for this reason.
Typical semi-crystalline thermoplastics are PE,
PP, PBT and PET.
Semi-crystalline thermoplastics are more
resistant to solvents and other chemicals. If the
crystallites are larger than the wavelength of
light, the thermoplastic is hazy or opaque.
Why HDPE exhibits higher cystallinity than
LDPE?

 Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is a
semicrystalline polymer having 20-40%
crystallinity.
It has a rigid backbones, which gives
high Tg and Tm (Tg= 143C and Tm=
343C). Can be employed at temperature
as high as 230C)
It is possible to blend two or more
polymers to obtain a multi-phase product
with enhances properties

Comparison of typical ranges of

property values for thermoset
and thermoplastics

Properties
t/set
Youngs Modulus (GPa)1.3-6.0
Tensile strength(MPa) 20-180
Max service temp.(C) 50-450
Fracture toughness,KIc 0.5-1.0
(MPa1/2)

t/plastic
1.0-4.8
40-190
25-230
1.5-6.0

Thermoplastics are
expected to receive
attention compared to
thermoset due to:
Ease of processing
Can be recycled
No specific storage
Good fracture modulus

Rubber
Common characteristics;
Large elastic elongation (i.e. 200%)
Can be stretched and then immediately return to
their original length when the load was released
Elastomers are sometimes called rubber or rubbery
materials
The term elastomer is often used interchangeably with
the term rubber
Natural rubber is obtained from latex from Hevea
Brasiliensis tree which consists of 98% poliisoprena
Synthetic rubber is commonly produced from
butadiene, spt styrene-butadiene (SBR) dan nitrilebutadiene (NBR)

 To achieve properties suitable for

structural purposed, most rubbers
have to be vulcanized; the long
chain rubber have to be crosslinked
The crosslinking agent in
vulcanization is commonly sulphur,
and the stiffness and strength
increases with the number of
crosslinks

PREPREG
It is short form for pre-impregnation
material
It is a semifinished product
It will be used in next processing
technique to obtain a finish product
It can be produced from thermoset
or thermoplastic matrix

Thermoplastic prepregs
are getting attention due
to:

Easy storage
High toughness
Fast & easy processing
Can be recycled