Tough epoxy resin systems for cryogenic applications


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Date

2024-10

Publication Type

Journal Article

ETH Bibliography

yes

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Abstract

This work presents the development of new epoxy systems that combine high fracture toughness at cryogenic temperatures (T = 77K) with a slow curing reaction (long pot life) and a glass transition temperature between 50°C and 100°C, ensuring good mechanical performance at room temperature. This was achieved by incorporating varying amounts and types of short-chain alkylamines into epoxy networks based on bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (DGEBA) crosslinked with metaphenylene diamine (MPD). This modification enhanced the cryogenic fracture toughness of the base system, DGEBA crosslinked with MPD, from 2 to 5.3 MPa√m. It has been suggested that the significantly improved cryogenic fracture toughness in systems with flexible aliphatic chain extenders might result from nano- or micro-phase separation, but X-ray scattering and dynamic mechanical spectroscopy did not provide conclusive evidence for this hypothesis. The required slow curing reaction was achieved by using a sterically hindered alkylamine (2-heptylamine) as chain extender, which increased the pot life more than twofold, resulting in resin formulations that combine a high cryogenic fracture toughness, a low viscosity and a long processing window at room temperature.

Publication status

published

Editor

Book title

Journal / series

Volume

143

Pages / Article No.

103923

Publisher

Elsevier

Event

Edition / version

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Date collected

Date created

Subject

Exposy resins; Fracture toughness; Cryogenic; Superconducting electromagnets

Organisational unit

09482 - Vermant, Jan / Vermant, Jan check_circle

Notes

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