Low-Density Unsaturated Polyester Resin with the Presence of Dual-Initiator

Abstract

Dual-initiation is a new orientation of many studies in the curing of unsaturated polyester resin and the manufacture of low-density unsaturated polyester resin (LDUPR) composite materials. In our research, two kinds of low-temperature (40–70 °C) initiators (cyclohexanone peroxide (CYHP) and methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKP)), one kind of medium-temperature (70–130 °C) initiator (tert-butyl peroxy-2-ethylhexanoate (TBPO)), and three kinds of high-temperature (≥130 °C) initiators (tert-butyl benzoate peroxide (TBPB), tert-amyl carbonate peroxide-2-ethylhexanoate (TAEC), and tert-butyl carbonate peroxide-2-ethylhexanoate (TBEC)) were applied to constitute different dual-initiators. Those dual-initiators were a low-temperature dual-initiator (CYHP/MEKP), medium-low-temperature dual-initiators (CYHP/TBPO and MEKP/TBPO), and high-temperature dual-initiators (TAEC/TBPB, TAEC/TBEC, and TBEC/TBPB). In the low-temperature and medium-low-temperature ranges, the LDUPR sample displayed the highest specific compression strength (Ps) of 42.08 ± 0.26 MPa·g−1·cm3 in the presence of the MEKP/TBPO dual-initiator. In the high-temperature range, the LDUPR sample exhibited the highest specific compression strength (Ps) of 43.32 ± 0.45 MPa·g−1·cm3 for the existence of the TAEC/TBPB dual-initiator. It is pointed out that the dual-initiator released more active free radicals, accelerating the initial curing time and the peak time of UPR. More active free radicals caused both high-activity (short-chain) molecules and low-activity (long-chain or intertwined) molecules in resin to cross-link, prolonging UPR’s curing process by approximately two minutes and resulting in an improvement of UPR’s cross-linking. In the presence of a dual-initiator, the integrated and planar microstructure of LDUPR samples performed uniformly distributed dimples, dispersed external forces, and enhanced samples’ specific compressive strength.