Life-changing Resins, Thermoplastic and Thermoset Resins
Since thermoset resins with thermoplastic resin have entered our lives, nothing has been the same as previous centuries. Composite products produced with these two resin types have changed our lives forever.
What are these Thermoplastic and Thermoset Resins ?
Thermoplastic Resin;
With thermoplastic resin, you are in frequent contact with everyday life. The thermoplastic resin is in intimate contact with the daily life without being reinforced. From these forms of thermoplastic resin you can see how widespread they are in daily life.
• PET - Water and soda bottles
• Polypropylene - Packaging containers
• Polycarbonate - Safety glass lenses
• PBT - Children's Toys
• Vinyl - Window frames
• Polyethylene - Grocery bags
• PVC - Boring
• PEI - Airplane armrests
• Nylon – Shoes
Many thermoplastics use short, discontinuous fibers as reinforcements. The most commonly known are glass fiber and carbon fiber. These fibers enhance the mechanical properties of the product. Technically, they are considered to be fiber reinforced composites, but their strength is not comparable to continuous fiber reinforced composites. In general, referring to FRP composites, reference is made to the use of reinforcing fibers having a length greater than 0.6 cm.
Two important features distinguish thermoplastic resin-produced composites from thermoset resin-produced composites.
First, impact resistance is higher than thermoset composites. In some cases this can be up to 10 times higher than thermoset resin composites.
Another feature of thermoplastic composites is the ability reform. Thermoplastic resins which are solid at room temperature can be reshaped by heat and pressure. It quickly changes shape under heat. When they are cold, they stay that way. This change is not a chemical reaction as it is in thermoset resins.
This change allows the thermoplastic composites to be reshaped and reshaped. For example, a thermoplastic composite rod can be heated and refolded to have a curvature. This is not possible with thermosetting resins. This also allows the thermoplastic composite to be recycled at the end of its useful life.
Thermoset Resins
Thermosetting resins that emit Fiber Reinforced Plastics (FRP) and Glass Reinforced Plastics (GRP)
Thermosetting resins are thermosetting resins.
The main feature of thermosets (literally under heat) is the irreversible and irreversible structure of molecules cross-linked. The result is a high thermal stability, a strong rigid structure and a high friction-resistance product.
Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites or FRP Composites are obtained by using thermosetting resins. In these composites, thermosetting resins are the matrix that holds the structural component in place. Common thermosetting resins are:
• Polyester resin
• Vinyl Ester Resin
• Epoxy
• Phenolic
• Urethane
The properties of thermosetting resins are:
• Excellent resistance to solvents and abrasives
• Resistance to heat and high temperature
• Fatigue strength
• Special flexibility
• Excellent adhesion
• Excellent finishing (polishing, painting, etc.)
The most common thermosetting resin used today is a polyester resin followed by vinyl ester and epoxy. Thermosetting resins are popular because they are unfired, at room temperature, they are in liquid form. This allows suitable production of reinforcing fibers such as fiberglass, carbon fiber or kevlar.
As noted, it is easy to work with liquid resin at room temperature. Laminators can easily clean all air during manufacturing and at the same time ensure that products are produced quickly using a vacuum or positive pressure pump. (Closed Die Manufacturing) Beyond the ease of production, thermosetting resins can exhibit excellent properties at low raw material cost.
In a thermoset resin, the crude uncured resin molecules are bound by a catalytic chemical reaction. With this chemical reaction, the resin often forms extremely strong bonds with the exothermic resin, and the resin turns from liquid to solid.
After the thermosetting resin is catalyzed, the process can not be reversed or transformed. This means that when a thermoset composite is formed, reshaping is very difficult without special operations.
The most common thermosetting resin used today is polyester resin, followed by vinyl ester and epoxy. Thermosetting resins are great products because they can be kept at room temperature without being fired. They are in liquid form at room temperature. This feature allows composites to be formed with reinforcing fibers such as fiberglass, carbon fiber or Kevlar.
With the use of thermosetting resins, it was possible to produce FTP, Fiber Reinforced Plastics and, in addition, CTP Glass Reinforced Plastic composites.
Thermoplastic and thermosetting resins have changed composite materials to include our everyday life so that our life can not be recycled any more. Every day, many things you notice or do not see, see, or do not see, have entered our lives when these resins are included in production lines.
Note: Composite material; The process of combining at least two different materials in macro dimensions is the name given to the resulting new material. The purpose of producing composite materials is to produce new and better materials by taking advantage of the commercial advantages of insoluble materials.