Bending and Compressive Analysis of Epoxy Resins Modified with Low-polar Solvent Solution of Polysulphone

Abstract

The memory shape materials seem to be extremely promising materials for medical applications especially as inserts to support the muscular system. In the case of memory shape polymers a supplementary issue is related to their bio-compatibility such as they can be rejected by the organism even their properties are fitting the requirements. Present study started from the hypothesis that mixing the epoxy resin with other polymers some valuable materials could be obtained especially for energy storage. The epoxy resins possess extraordinary properties (relatively to other thermoset polymers) but they also show an excellent stability that generates problems when this type of materials should be neutralized. Epoxy resins also show low water or other liquids absorption due to their low porosity and they cannot be used for energy storage applications when mobility of charge carriers is ensured by liquid phase. A polymer with high porosity used for membrane formation is the polysulfone and, in this regard, tests were performed to analyse the ways to mix an epoxy resin with polysulfone. The idea had generated a study regarding the properties of such a mixture together with the condition that had to be reached to successfully get the mixture. Low-polar solvent solution of polysulfone had been obtained with 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone. After compatibility tests, 15 and 20% of this solution was added to the components of the epoxy systems -with the epoxy resin -and formed materials were analysed by mechanical means-compressive and three-point bending - the surprise was that some materials had showed memory shape properties.