Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Delaware, 2006. / Principal faculty advisor: John W. Gillespie, Dept. of Materials Science. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.Sc.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2004. / Restricted until October 2005. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1994. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 56-58). Also available via the Internet.

Orientador: Newton Luiz Dias Filho / Banca: Devaney Ribeiro do Carmo / Banca: Adley Forti Rubira / Resumo: Resinas epoxídicas são uma das mais importantes classes de polímeros termorrígidos usados para aplicações estruturais e como adesivos. Entretanto, os problemas em aplicações de resinas epoxídicas na engenharia incluem a baixa resistência à propagação de trincas devido a sua fragilidade. Para superar esta fragilidade, muitas vezes, dentre os aditivos em formulações multicomponentes de resinas epoxídicas, é utilizado um componente para aumentar a resistência, tais como enchimentos, oligosilsesquioxanos poliédricos (POSS), dendrímeros, etc. POSS (RSiO1,5)n podem ser incorporados em polímeros termorrígidos para melhoramento de suas propriedades térmicas e mecânicas. O uso de POSS nanoestruturados na preparação de polímeros orgânicos pode levar a materiais nanocompósitos. Neste trabalho, um POSS contendo oito grupos ésteres por molécula (MDPS) foi incorporado a uma matriz de polímeros termorrígidos epoxídicos DGEBA/TETA para melhorar suas propriedades mecânicas. Através de ensaios mecânicos foi observado um aumento de aproximadamente 90% (formulação 0,67/5) na resistência a fratura (K1C) com um leve decréscimo no modulo de Young (E). Os valores de Tg, verificados por DMTA mostraram pequeno decréscimo nas composições modificadas. As análises termogravimétricas mostraram que a adição de silsesquioxano não influenciou na estabilidade térmica do material. A cinética de cura foi analisada pelo método de Ozawa. As possíveis e prováveis causas deste significante reforço podem ser atribuídas à formação de uma segunda fase, à miscibilidade residual dos grupos ésteres com a matriz epoxídicas e às interações interfaciais entre a matriz epoxídicas e os cubos de silsesquioxanos devido as suas dimensões nanométricas. / Abstract: Epoxy resins are one of the most important classes of thermosetting polymers used for structural and adhesive applications. However, the current problems in engineering applications of epoxy thermosets include the poor resistance to the crack propagation because they are brittle. To overcome brittleness, among other additives of the multicomponented formulation of the epoxy resin, a toughening agent is often used, such as fillers, polyhedral oligosilsesquioxanes (POSS), dendrimers, etc. POSS, (RSiO1.5)n, can be incorporated into thermosetting polymers to improve their thermal and mechanical properties. The use of such nanosized POSS in the preparation of an organic polymer can lead to a nanocomposite materials. In this work, a POSS containing eight ester groups per molecule (MDPS) was incorporated to an epoxy matrix of DGEBA/TETA thermosetting polymers to improve their mechanical properties. Through the mechanical tests an increase of about 90% (formulation 0,67/5) was observed in the fracture toughness (K1C) with a little decreasing in the module of Young (E). The Tg values verified by DMTA showed smaller values for the compositions with the modifier. The thermogravimetric analyses showed that the addition of the silsesquioxane ester did not influence on the thermal stability of the material. The cure kinetics was analyzed by Ozawa's method. The probable and possible causes of this significant reinforcement can be attributed to the formation of a second inorganic phase, residual miscibility of the ester groups with the epoxy matrix and to interfacial interactions between the epoxy matrix and silsesquioxanes cubes due their nanometric dimensions. / Mestre

The epoxy resin mixture is used for wet filament winding load carrying and electrically insulating tubes for high voltage applications. The cured tubes are key parts of the final products which are subject to qualification. The safe function of the products generally depends on low moisture content. Visual inspection is also an important part of the quality inspection which requires some degree of transparency of the cured tubes. To prepare for future material modifications ABB wishes to evaluate the curing characteristics of some recently developed epoxy/hardener systems. The epoxy resin with the formulation E1/H1 is used as reference. Another type of base epoxy resin E2 and toughened epoxy resin E1 (E1T) are included in the study. Three alternative hardeners H2, H3, and H4 were evaluated. This project is to evaluate different alternative epoxy resin formulations that are promising to be used in the ABB products in the future. These alternative epoxy resin formulations and the reference epoxy resin with the formation E1/H1 were prepared to be compared and evaluated in terms of thermal properties, i.e., glass temperature (Tg), the heat of curing and color of cured epoxy resins. The epoxy resins with alternative formulations which shown relative high Tg values were selected to carry out other analysis, ie., mixing ration optimization, the influence of dissolved water on Tg values, degree of curing and water absorption behavior.

No description available.

Nanomaterial composites hold improvement potential for many materials. Improvements arise through known material behaviors and unique nanoscale effects to improve performance in areas including elastic modulus and damping as well as various processes, and products. Review of research spurred development of a load-stage. The load stage could be used independently, or in conjunction with an AFM to investigate bulk and nanoscale material mechanics. The effect of MWCNT content on structural damping, elastic modulus, toughness, loss modulus, and glass transition temperature was investigated using the load stage, AMF, and DMA. Initial investigation showed elastic modulus increased 23% with 1wt.% MWCNT versus pure epoxy and in-situ imaging observed micro/nanoscale deformation. Dynamic capabilities of the load stage were investigated as a method to achieve higher stress than available through DMA. The system showed energy dissipation across all reinforce levels, with ~480% peak for the 1wt.% MWCNT material vs. the neat epoxy at 1Hz. / ND NASA EPSCoR FAR0017788 / NDSU Development Foundation FAR0017503 / National Science Foundation (NSF) Grant# HRD-0811239 to the NDSU Advance FORWARD Program

Kinetic equation parameters for the curing reaction of a commercial glass fiber reinforced high performance epoxy prepreg composed of the tetrafunctional epoxy tetraglycidyl 4,4-diaminodiphenyl methane (TGDDM), the tetrafunctional amine curing agent 4,4’-diaminodiphenylsulfone (DDS) and an ionic initiator/accelerator, are determined by various thermal analysis techniques and the results compared. The reaction is monitored by heat generated determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The changes in physical properties indicating increasing conversion are followed by shifts in glass transition temperature determined by DSC and temperature-modulated DSC (TMDSC), thermomechanical (TMA) and dynamic mechanical (DMA) analysis and thermally stimulated depolarization (TSD). Changes in viscosity, also indicative of degree of conversion, are monitored by DMA. Thermal stability as a function of degree of cure is monitored by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The parameters of the general kinetic equations, including activation energy and rate constant, are explained and used to compare results of various techniques. The utilities of the kinetic descriptions are demonstrated in the construction of a useful time-temperature-transformation (TTT) diagram for rapid determination of processing parameters in the processing of prepregs. Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved. Files: Thesis.pdf Special Conditions

The industrial demand for high strength-to-weight ratio materials is increasing due to the need for high performance components. Epoxy polymers, although often used in fiber-reinforced polymeric composites, have an inherent low toughness that further decreases with decreasing temperatures. Second-phase additives have been effective in increasing the toughness of epoxies at room temperature; however, the mechanisms at low temperatures are still not understood. In this study, the deformation mechanisms of a DGEBA epoxy modified with MX960 core-shell rubber (CSR) particles were investigated under quasi-static tensile and impact loads at room temperature (RT) and liquid nitrogen (LN2) temperature. Overall, the CSR had little effect on the tensile properties at RT and LN2 temperature. The impact strength decreased from neat to 3 wt% but increased from neat to 5 wt% at RT and LN2 temperature, with a higher impact strength at RT at all CSR loadings. The CSR particles debonded in front of the crack tip, inducing voids into the matrix. It was found that an increase in shear deformation and void growth likely accounted for the higher impact strength at 5 wt% CSR loading at RT while the thermal stress fields due to the coefficient of thermal expansion mismatch between rubber and epoxy and an increase in secondary cracking is likely responsible for the higher impact strength at 5 wt% tested at LN2 temperature. While a large toughening effect was not seen in this study, the mechanisms analyzed herein will likely be of use for further material investigations at cryogenic temperatures.

No description available.