Prolonged Thermal Relaxation of the Thermosetting Polymers

Abstract

The rigidity of structures made of polymer composite materials, operated at elevated temperatures, is mainly determined by the residual rigidity of the polymer binder (which is very sensitive to elevated temperatures); therefore, the study of ways to increase the rigidity of polymer materials under heating (including prolonged heating) is relevant. In the previous research, cured thermosetting polymer structure’s non-stability, especially under heating, is determined by its supra-molecular structure domain’s conglomerate character and the high entropy of such structures. The polymer elasticity modeling proved the significance of the entropy factor and layer (EPL) model application. The prolonged heating makes it possible to release adsorptive inter-layer bonds and volatile groups. As a result, the polymer structure is changing, and inner stress relaxation occurs due to this thermo-process, called thermo-relaxation. The present study suggests researching thermo-relaxation’s influence on polymers’ deformability under load and heating. The research results prove the significant polymer structure modification due to thermo-relaxation, with the polymer entropy parameter decreasing, the glassing onset temperature point (Tg) increasing by 1.3–1.7 times, and the modulus of elasticity under heating increasing by 1.5–2 times.