Addition of fillers to formulations can generate composites
with
improved mechanical properties and lower the overall cost through
a reduction of chemicals needed. In this study, fillers were added
to resin systems consisting of epoxies and vinyl ethers that frontally
polymerized through a radical-induced cationic frontal polymerization
(RICFP) mechanism. Different clays, along with inert fumed silica,
were added to increase the viscosity and reduce the convection, results
of which did not follow many trends present in free-radical frontal
polymerization. The clays were found to reduce the front velocity
of RICFP systems overall compared to systems with only fumed silica.
It is hypothesized that chemical effects and water content produce
this reduction when clays are added to the cationic system. Mechanical
and thermal properties of composites were studied, along with filler
dispersion in the cured material. Drying the clays in an oven increased
the front velocity. Comparing thermally insulating wood flour to thermally
conducting carbon fibers, we observed that the carbon fibers resulted
in an increase in front velocity, while the wood flour reduced the
front velocity. Finally, it was shown that acid-treated montmorillonite
K10 polymerizes RICFP systems containing vinyl ether even in the absence
of an initiator, resulting in a short pot life.
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