The influence of surface properties on the flow of fluids, including epoxy resin, through aligned glass and other fiber beds has been examined. The observed flow rates were higher than those predicted from the Kozeny‐Carman equation, and were influenced by the surface properties of the fluid used. This is attributed to variations in the distribution of porosities and to the presence of air bubbles trapped during the initial wetting of the bed. The implications of these findings to the preparation of composites are discussed.
DTA, TG, and TMA curves of commercial Kevlar® 49 and Nomex® fibers have been used to assess their behavior at high temperatures. The fibers lost absorbed water around 100°C, and a glass transition was reflected in the DTA and TMA curves in the region of 300°C. Difficulties in the interpretation of DTA and TMA curves in the glass-transition region and in the assignments of Tv‘s for these high-performance fibers are discussed. Whereas Kevlar 49 showed both a crystalline melting point (560°C) and a sharp endothermal thermal decomposition (590°C), Nomex showed only the latter (440°C) and no evidence of melting from the DTA curves. The endothermal decomposition peaks apparently correspond to “polymer melt temperatures” reported for related materials, and correlate well with the TG and TMA features. During thermal analysis of Kevlar 49, oxidation occurs more readily than thermal decomposition, but the latter predominates for Nomex. Differences between dyed and undyed Nomex were due to differences in yarn constitution.
The effect of dopants and level of doping on the thermal stability of polypyrrole at 90, 120 and 150°C in dry air and nitrogen was investigated by monitoring the decay of conductivity. Polymers doped with aromatic anions (p-toluene sulphonate and p-chlorobenzene sulphonate) exhibit better stability than polymers doped with an aliphatic anion (dodecyl sulphate). The conductivity decay appears to follow diffusion controlled kinetics. After an initial decrease in conductivity, polypyrrole doped with p-toluene sulphonate anion maintains a constant conductivity at 150°C in air for at least 4 weeks. Dedoping results in materials of lower conductivity but greater thermal stability. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry (TG) were found to be useful techniques to characterize and investigate thermal stability. Oxidation of polypyrrole films, monitored by DSC, shows diffusion controlled kinetics. Although both oxidation and conductivity decay show typical diffusion kinetics, oxidation is a necessary but not sufficient condition for the decay.
The effect of physical aging on the fracture behavior, crack opening displacement, and plastic deformation zone of unmodified and rubber-modified epoxies was determined at two aging temperatures and different displacement rates. The strain energy release rate decreases to between 40 and 50% (for rubber modified and unmodified samples, respectively) of the unaged values after 35 days aging. Systematic dependence of the decrease in fracture toughness by aging on the rubber content is not apparent. The increased yield stress after physical aging is the main factor contributing to the reduction in fracture toughness, crack opening displacement, and plastic deformation zone. Physical aging suppresses the crack blunting mechanisms in epoxies.
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