Abstract
Abstract Nano-silica modified phenolic resin film is prepared using different mass fractions of nano-silica by liquid composites molding (LCM). The effects of nano-silica on the rheology and curing of phenolic resin are studied by rheometer and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The results show that the viscosity of nano-silica modified phenolic resin decreases with the increase of temperature, and the viscosity is lowest between 70°C and 90°C. The appropriate resin film infusion (RFI) process is investigated, and the stepped curing process system is established. In addition, the microstructures of modified phenolic film and composites are tested by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Nano-silica can be uniformly dispersed in phenolic resin when the amount of nano-silica added is ≤ 4%. And the mechanical properties of nano-silica modified phenolic composites are tested by universal material testing machine. The optimum nano-silica mass loading for the improvement of mechanical properties is found. This work provides an effective way to prepare the modified phenolic resin film suitable for resin film infusion (RFI) processes, and it maybe become a backbone of thermal protection material in aerospace.
Highlights
The properties of resin matrix have a great influence on the properties of composite material [1]
The results show that the viscosity of nano-silica modified phenolic resin decreases with the increase of temperature, and the viscosity is lowest between 70∘C and 90∘C
In order to the optimal design of the process system, the rheological properties of the nanosilica modified phenolic resins are first studied by the viscosity experiments
Summary
The properties of resin matrix have a great influence on the properties of composite material [1]. Nanoparticles reinforced resin coatings have drawn a considerable attention, caused by the improvements on various properties, such as rheological properties, curing performance, heat stability and other mechanical properties [13, 14]. Due to the unique surface and volume effects of nanoparticles, the performance of modified phenolic resin will be greatly improved [16,17,18,19]. To the best of our knowledge, few works have been conducted on the manufacture and properties of phenolic resin film modified by nanoparticles. The effects of introducing nano-silica particles on the rheological properties and curing properties of phenolic resin film are investigated. By comparison in the rheological properties and curing properties of phenolic resin film, the optimum mass fraction of introduced nano-silica particles could be found.
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