Pultruded fibre-reinforced PMMA/PU IPN composites: processability and mechanical properties

Abstract

This paper presents a proprietary process developed to manufacture polyurethane (PU)/polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) pultruded composites. The IPNs prepolymer sythesized in this study was prepared from the blends of MMA prepolymer and blocked NCO-terminated PU prepolymer. The processability, mechanical and dynamic mechanical properties of glass fiber rein forced PU/PMMA IPNs composites have been studied. From the investigation of the pot life of resins, the reactivity of ream and fiber wet-out, it was found that the PU/PMMA IPNs show excellent processability for pultrusion. Results show that the tanδ of IPNs composites shifts to the higher temperature with increasing PMMA content, and dynamic shear storage modulus (G') increases with with PMMA content. The flexural strength, flexural modulus and hardness of IPNs composites increase with PMMA Content, however, the impact strength and swelling ratio of IPNa composites decrease with the increasing of PMMA content.