Thermal Stability, Flammability and Mechanical Performances of Unsaturated Polyester–Melamine Resin Blends and of Glass Fibre-Reinforced Composites Based on Them

ABSTRACT: A novel blend of unsaturated polyester (UP) resin with an inherently flame-retardant and char-forming melamine formaldehyde (MF) resin has been prepared with the aim of reducing the flammability of the former. MF resin, sourced as a spray-dried resin, was dissolved in diethyleneglycol solvent; the dissolved resin and the UP-MF blend were autocured by heating under conditions normally used for curing UP, i.e., room temperature for 24 h and post-curing at 80 °C for 12–24 h. The cured UP-MF blends, although heterogeneous in nature, were rigid materials having fire performances superior to those of the cured UP alone. The blends also burned, but with a much reduced smoke output compared with that from UP. Although the heterogeneity of the blends helped in improving the fire performances of the

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PROVIDER: S-EPMC9693295 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature