Processing and characterization of ablative composites used in rocket motors

The main objective of this research work was to obtain two formulations of ablative composites. These composites are also known as ablative structural composites, for applications in atmospherically severe conditions according to the high-temperature, hot gaseous products flow generated from the burning of solid propellants. The formulations were manufactured with phenolic resin reinforced with chopped carbon fiber. The composites were obtained by the hot compression molding technique. Another purpose of this work was to conduct the physical and chemical characterization of the matrix, the reinforcements and the composites. After the characterization, a nozzle divergent of each formulation was manufactured and its performance was evaluated through the rocket motor static firing test. According to the results found in this work, it was possible to observe through the characterization of the raw materials that phenolic resins showed peculiarities in their properties that differentiate one from the other, but did not exhibit significant differences in performance as a composite material for use in ablation conditions. Both composites showed good performance for use in thermal protection, confirmed by firing static tests (rocket motor). Composites made with phenolic resin and chopped carbon fiber showed that it is a material with excellent resistance to ablation process. This composite can be used to produce nozzle parts with complex geometry or shapes and low manufacturing cost.

Análise fractal de fraturas em regime linear elástico: modo I de carregamento

For the development of this graduate work of fractal fracture behavior, it is necessary to establish references for fractal analysis on fracture surfaces, evaluating, from tests of fracture tenacity on modes I, II and combined I / II, the behavior of fractures in fragile materials, on linear elastic regime. Fractures in the linear elastic regime are described by your fractal behavior by several researchers, especially Mecholsky JJ. The motivation of that present proposal stems from work done by the group and accepted for publication in the journal Materials Science and Engineering A (Horovistiz et al, 2010), where the model of Mecholsky could not be proven for fractures into grooved specimens for tests of diametric compression of titania on mode I. The general objective of this proposal is to quantify the distinguish surface regions formed by different mechanisms of fracture propagation in linear elastic regime in polymeric specimens (phenolic resin), relating tenacity, thickness of the specimens and fractal dimension. The analyzed fractures were obtained from SCB tests in mode I loading, and the acquisition of images taken using an optical reflection microscope and the surface topographies obtained by the extension focus method of reconstruction, calculating the values of fractal dimension with the use of maps of elevations. The fractal dimension was classified as monofractal dimension (Df), when the fracture is described by a single value, or texture size (Dt), which is a macroscopic analysis of the fracture, combined with the structural dimension (Ds), which is a microscopic analysis. The results showed that there is no clear relationship between tenacity, thickness and fractal values for the material investigated. On the other hand it is clear that the fractal values change with the evolution of cracks during the fracture process ... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Obtenção e caracterização térmica de compósitos nanoestruturados de resina fenol-furfurílica/CNT

Pós-graduação em Engenharia Mecânica - FEG

Obtenção e caracterização de compósitos de benzoxazina/fibra de carbono

Pós-graduação em Engenharia Mecânica - FEG

Estudo da cinética de degradação da resina benzoxazina e seus compósitos nanoestruturados

The benzoxaxine resin is a new class of thermoset phenolic resin, which is presenting, in the lasts decades, a great application in the aircraft industry due mainly to its excellent mechanical and thermal properties. This resin associates the mechanical properties of epoxy resin with the thermal and flame retardant properties of phenolic resin. In this context, they are considered polymers of high performance and they are excellent candidates to replace the current thermoset matrices used in the processing of high performance composites. Thus, in this study nanostructured composites Benzoxazine/CNT were produced at different concentrations of functionalized and non-functionalized CNT (0,1%; 0,5% and 1,0% w/w). The thermal stability of the benzoxazine resin and its nanostructured composites was studied using thermogravimetry (TGA) and degradation kinetic model Ozawa-Wall-Flynn (O-W-F). The thermal characterization also included differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic-mechanical analysis, infrared spectroscopy with Fourier transform (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).The introduction of non-functionalized CNT at low concentrations resulted in nanostructured composites with better thermal properties in relation to the neat resin. For all cases, however, the dispersion of CNT in the matrix was ineffective

Estudo da cinética de degradação da resina benzoxazina e seus compósitos nanoestruturados

The benzoxaxine resin is a new class of thermoset phenolic resin, which is presenting, in the lasts decades, a great application in the aircraft industry due mainly to its excellent mechanical and thermal properties. This resin associates the mechanical properties of epoxy resin with the thermal and flame retardant properties of phenolic resin. In this context, they are considered polymers of high performance and they are excellent candidates to replace the current thermoset matrices used in the processing of high performance composites. Thus, in this study nanostructured composites Benzoxazine/CNT were produced at different concentrations of functionalized and non-functionalized CNT (0,1%; 0,5% and 1,0% w/w). The thermal stability of the benzoxazine resin and its nanostructured composites was studied using thermogravimetry (TGA) and degradation kinetic model Ozawa-Wall-Flynn (O-W-F). The thermal characterization also included differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic-mechanical analysis, infrared spectroscopy with Fourier transform (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).The introduction of non-functionalized CNT at low concentrations resulted in nanostructured composites with better thermal properties in relation to the neat resin. For all cases, however, the dispersion of CNT in the matrix was ineffective

LYOCELL AND COTTON FIBERS AS REINFORCEMENTS FOR A THERMOSET POLYMER

Cellulose fibers obtained from the textile industry (lyocell) were investigated as a potential reinforcement for thermoset phenolic matrices, to improve their mechanical properties. Textile cotton fibers were also considered. The fibers were characterized in terms of their chemical composition and analyzed using TGA, SEM, and X-ray. The thermoset (non-reinforced) and composites (phenolic matrices reinforced with randomly dispersed fibers) were characterized using TG, DSC, SEM, DMTA, the Izod impact strength test, and water absorption capacity analysis. The composites that were reinforced with lyocell fibers exhibited impact strengths of nearly 240 Jm(-1), whereas those reinforced with cotton fibers exhibited impact strengths of up to 773 Jm(-1). In addition to the aspect ratio, the higher crystallinity of cotton fibers compared to lyocell likely plays a role in the impact strength of the composite reinforced by the fibers. The SEM images showed that the porosity of the textile fibers allowed good bulk diffusion of the phenolic resin, which, in turn, led to both good adhesion of fiber to matrix and fewer microvoids at the interface.

Pd/C catalysts based on synthetic carbons with bi- and tri-modal pore-size distribution:applications in flow chemistry

Two new types of phenolic resin-derived synthetic carbons with bi-modal and tri-modal pore-size distributions were used as supports for Pd catalysts. The catalysts were tested in chemoselective hydrogenation and hydrodehalogenation reactions in a compact multichannel flow reactor. Bi-modal and tri-modal micro-mesoporous structures of the synthetic carbons were characterised by N2 adsorption. HR-TEM, PXRD and XPS analyses were performed for characterising the synthesised catalysts. N2 adsorption revealed that tri-modal synthetic carbon possesses a well-developed hierarchical mesoporous structure (with 6.5 nm and 42 nm pores), contributing to a larger mesopore volume than the bi-modal carbon (1.57 cm3 g-1versus 1.23 cm3 g-1). It was found that the tri-modal carbon promotes a better size distribution of Pd nanoparticles than the bi-modal carbon due to presence of hierarchical mesopore limitting the growth of Pd nanoparticles. For all the model reactions investigated, the Pd catalyst based on tri-modal synthetic carbon (Pd/triC) show high activity as well as high stability and reproducibility. The trend in reactivities of different functional groups over the Pd/triC catalyst follows a general order alkyne ≫ nitro > bromo ≫ aldehyde.

Epoxidized Phenolic Novolac: A Novel Modifier for Unsaturated Polyester Resin

Unsaturated polyester resins (UPRs) are used widely in the fiber-reinforced plastics (FRPs) industry. These resins have the disadvantages of brittleness and poor resistance to crack propagation. In this study, hybrid polymer networks (HPNs) based on UPR and epoxidized phenolic novolacs (EPNs) were prepared by reactive blending. A HPN is composed of a backbone polymer containing two types of reactive groups that can take part in crosslinking reactions via different mechanisms. EPNs were prepared by glycidylation of novolacs using epichlorohydrin. The novolacs had varying phenol: formaldehyde ratios. Blends of unsaturated polyester with EPN were then prepared. The physical properties of the cured blends were compared with those of the control resin. EPN shows good miscibility and compatibility with the resin and improves the toughness and impact resistance substantially. Considerable enhancement of tensile strength is also noticed at about 5% by weight of epoxidized novolac resin. TGA, DMA, and DSC were used to study the thermal properties of the toughened resin and the fracture behavior was studied using SEM. The blends are also found to have better thermal stability. Blending with EPN can be a useful and cost-effective technique for modification of UPR

Use of a cashew nut shell liquid resin as a potential replacement for phenolic resins in the preparation of panels - a review

The Cashew Nut Shell Liquid (CNSL) can be considered as a versatile raw material with wide applications in the form of surface coatings, paints and varnishes, as well as the production of polymers. Within this context, the chemical constituents of CNSL (anarcadic acid, cardanol, 2-cardol and methylcardol) become promising in the development of new materials components. Once separated, CNSL can be used in the research and development of additives, surfactants, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, polymers, resins and others. Being a byproduct, CNSL used in the preparation of new materials is characterized as a truly technological innovation.

Modification of Phenol Formaldehyde Resin for Improved Mechanical Properties

Phenolic resins suffer from the presence of microvoids on curing. This often leads to less than satisfactory properties in the cured resin. This disadvantage has limited the use of phenolic resins to some extent. This study is an attempt to improve the mechanical properties of the phenolic resol resins by chemical modification aimed at reducing the microvoid population. With this end in view various themoset resins synthesised under predetennined conditions have been employed for modifying phenolic resols. Such resins include unsaturated polyester, epoxy and epoxy novolac prepolymers. The results establish the effectiveness of these resins for improving the mechanical properties of phenolics. Experimental and analytical techniques used include FTIR, DMA, TGA, SEM and mechanical property evaluation. While most of the modifier resins employed give positive results the effect of adding UP is found to be surprising as well as impressive.

Biobased composites from tannin-phenolic polymers reinforced with coir fibers

Tannin-phenolic polymers prepared using tannin, a macromolecule obtained from natural sources, were used in the preparation of composites reinforced with coir fibers. The composites based on tannin-phenolic polymers (50% (w/w) of tannin as substitute of the phenol) were prepared using the coir fibers as reinforcement (30-70% (w/w), 3.0-6.0 cm, randomly distributed). The Izod impact strength of the composites showed an improvement in this property due to the incorporation of coir fibers in the tannin-phenolic matrices. The SEM images showed excellent adhesion at the fiber/matrix interface. The coir fiber had bundles regularly spaced, which enhanced the diffusion of the resin into the fiber. In addition, the high lignin content of this fiber results in a high concentration of aromatic rings, which increased the compatibility with the matrix. The values of the diffusion coefficient of water, determined using Fick`s laws, show that there was no correlation between the fiber percentage and the water diffusion. The DMTA curves showed that the storage moduli of the composites reinforced with coir fibers were considerably higher than that of the thermoset, and the increase in the proportion of fibers led to a proportional increase in the storage moduli of these materials. The biobased composites obtained have potential for non-structural applications, such as in the internal parts of automotives vehicles. To our knowledge, this is the first study on this kind of biobased composites. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biobased composites from glyoxal-phenolic resins and sisal fibers

Lignocellulosic materials can significantly contribute to the development of biobased composites. In this work, glyoxal-phenolic resins for composites were prepared using glyoxal, which is a dialdehyde obtained from several natural resources. The resins were characterized by (1)H, (13)C, (2)D, and (31)P NMR spectroscopies. Resorcinol (10%) was used as an accelerator for curing the glyoxal-phenol resins in order to obtain the thermosets. The impact-strength measurement showed that regardless of the cure cycle used, the reinforcement of thermosets by 30% (w/w) sisal fibers improved the impact strength by one order of magnitude. Curing with cycle 1 (150 degrees C) induced a high diffusion coefficient for water absorption in composites, due to less interaction between the sisal fibers and water. The composites cured with cycle 2 (180 degrees C) had less glyoxal resin coverage of the cellulosic fibers, as observed by images of the fractured interface observed by SEM. This study shows that biobased composites with good properties can be prepared using a high proportion of materials obtained from natural resources. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Phenolic matrices and sisal fibers modified with hydroxy terminated polybutadiene rubber: Impact strength, water absorption, and morphological aspects of thermosets and composites

The aim of the present work was to investigate the toughening of phenolic thermoset and its composites reinforced with sisal fibers, using hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene rubber (HTPB) as both impact modifier and coupling agent. Substantial increase in the impact strength of the thermoset was achieved by the addition 10% of HTPB. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the material with 15% HTPB content revealed the formation of some rubber aggregates that reduced the efficiency of the toughening mechanism. In composites, the toughening effect was observed only when 2.5% of HTPB was added. The rubber aggregates were found located mainly at the matrix-fiber interface suggesting that HTPB could be used as coupling agent between the sisal fibers and the phenolic matrix. A composite reinforced with sisal fibers pre-impregnated with HTPB was then prepared; its SEM images showed the formation of a thin coating of HTPB on the surface of the fibers. The ability of HTBP as coupling agent between sisal fibers and phenolic matrix was then investigated by preparing a composite reinforced with sisal fibers pre-treated with HTPB. As revealed by its SEM images, the HTPB pre-treatment of the fibers resulted on the formation of a thin coating of HTPB on the surface of the fibers, which provided better compatibility between the fibers and the matrix at their interface, resulting in a material with low water absorption capacity and no loss of impact strength. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Benzoxazine resin and their nanostructured composites cure kinetic by DSC

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