Phthalonitrile-carbon fiber composites produced by vacuum infusion process

• Published in: Journal of composite materials Vol. 51; no. 30; pp. 4157 - 4164
• Main Authors: Bulgakov, BA, Sulimov, AV, Babkin, AV, Timoshkin, IA, Solopchenko, AV, Kepman, AV, Avdeev, VV
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01-12-2017
• Subjects: Phthalonitrile; thermal performance; vacuum infusion; mechanical properties; carbon fiber-reinforced plastics
• ISSN: 0021-9983; 1530-793X
• DOI: 10.1177/0021998317699452

High-temperature carbon fiber-reinforced plastics based on phthalonitrile resins are obtained for the first time by vacuum infusion process. For this purpose, formulations based on low-melting bis(3-(3,4-dicyanophenoxy)phenyl) phenyl phosphate monomer in combination with 1,3-bis(3,4-dicyanophenoxy)benzene and 4-[3-(prop-2-yn-1-yloxy)phenoxy]benzene-1,2-dicarbonitrile were developed. Resin viscosities η ≤ 600 mPa·s were suitable for VIP and at the same time the thermal and mechanical properties of the cured matrices were in high level featured to phthalonitriles (HDT ≥ 420℃, E ≥ 5.1 GPa). CFRP samples were manufactured by vacuum infusion process with carbon fabric and demonstrated thermal stability over 400℃ and a change of mechanical properties by less than 10% at 300℃. Present results sufficiently extend the application field of phthalonitriles as matrices for complex-shape high temperature composite parts in aerospace or high-temperature composite tooling for PEEK-like thermoplastics processing.