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Journal of Polymer & Composites Original Research

Influence of the Modification of Resol Phenolics on the Properties of Glass and Cotton Fiber Laminates

  1. Parameswaran P. Subramanian Postgraduate Department of Chemistry and Research Center, Sanatana Dharma College, Alappuzha
  2. Vaisakh S.S. Postgraduate Department of Chemistry and Research Center, Sanatana Dharma College, Alappuzha
  3. Chithra Sekhar V Postgraduate Department of Chemistry and Research Center, Sanatana Dharma College, Alappuzha
  4. Manoj N Postgraduate Department of Chemistry and Research Center, Sanatana Dharma College, Alappuzha

Abstract

Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composite based on resol phenolics awaits special attention due to excellent inherent properties of the resol phenolics. In this study, modified resol phenolics by unsaturated polyester (UP) and epoxidised novolacs of simple phenol, o-cresol and p-cresol were used to fabricate glass and cotton FRPs. An overall enhancement of 25% in tensile strength and 40% in impact strength is achieved upon modification for both the modified laminates. The amount of modifiers required to achieve this enhancement in the mechanical properties is approximately 10% by weight of resol phenolics. Among the FRPs, glass reinforced composites demonstrated better enhancement in mechanical properties compared to cotton reinforced composites. The results of the water sorption, DMA, and SEM analyses indicate that the modifiers improve the characteristics of the glass fiber-matrix by strengthening the fiber-matrix interface. However, the cotton fiber reinforced composites do not exhibit any appreciable enhancement in the fiber-matrix adhesion by resol modification. Theoretical modelling studies that correlate the volume fraction of fiber with tensile strength of composites have been carried out. It also supports the enhancement of interfacial adhesion in glass-reinforced composites upon matrix modification compared to cotton-reinforced composites. Among the modified resins, UP modified resins impart better properties for the FRP composite than the epoxy modified resins.

Keywords

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