Author:

Keywords:

B. mechanical properties, E. thermoplastic resin, Science & Technology, Technology, Engineering, Manufacturing, Materials Science, Composites, Engineering, Materials Science, mechanical properties, thermoplastic resin, IN-SITU POLYMERIZATION, MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES, POLY(BUTYLENE, OLIGOMERS, B. Mechanical properties, E. Thermoplastic resin, 0901 Aerospace Engineering, 0912 Materials Engineering, 0913 Mechanical Engineering, Materials, 4016 Materials engineering, 4017 Mechanical engineering

Abstract:

The problem of high melt viscosity of thermoplastics can be solved by using cyclic butylene terephthalate (CBT), a low viscous prepolymer that polymerizes to the thermoplastic polybutyleneterephthalate (PBT). If CBT polymerizes isothermally, big perfect crystals can grow, which induces brittleness. To solve this problem, CBT is mixed with polycaprolactone (PCL). CBT and PCL will form a copolymer, which leads to a much tougher material, both for unfilled material and for composites. The samples are tested under tensile, bending and impact loading. The increased toughness is due to the lower crystallinity, induced by the copolymerization, which is assessed by a DSC-test.