The conducted studies have proven the possibility of the directed control of operational properties of epoxy composites, due to the addition of finely-ground ocher into their composition, and the use of microwave modification of the epoxy composition. The rational content of ocher as a modifying additive (0.5 parts by mass) and a filler (75 parts by mass) of the epoxy composition has been selected, which ensures the improvement of the studied complex of physical-mechanical properties. It has been proven that ocher affects the structure formation processes and the structure of the epoxy composite, thus increasing its thermal, heat and fire resistance. During the research, the application efficiency has been proven, and the optimal parameters of the microwave modification (power—350 W; duration—30 s) of epoxy compositions filled with ocher, which increase physical-mechanical characteristics of composites, have been selected.

The research we conducted shows the possibility of the directed adjustment of epoxy composite performance characteristics through the application of small additives of potassium polytitanate whiskers, the introduction of polyfunctional plasticizers with chemical and mechanical methods of activation of the whole composition and its components; this ensured the creation of a new generation of epoxy composites with high‐performance properties (breaking tension = 116 MPa and modulus of elasticity at bending = 3150 MPa, destructive tension under compression = 95 MPa, impact strength = 18 kJ/m2 that meets the requirements of most industries. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018, 135, 46651.

The aim of this paper is to study the effect of a polyfunctional modifier oligo (resorcinol phenyl phosphate) with terminal phenyl groups and a dispersed mineral filler, diorite, on the physicochemical and deformation-strength properties of epoxy-based composites. The efficiency of using diorite as an active filler of an epoxy polymer, ensuring an increase in strength and a change in the physicochemical properties of epoxy composites, has been proven. We selected the optimal content of diorite both as a structuring additive and as a filler in the composition of the epoxy composite (0.1 and 50 parts by mass), at which diorite reinforces the epoxy composite. It has been found that the addition of diorite into the epoxy composite results in an increase in the Vicat heat resistance from 132 to 140–188 °C and increases the thermal stability of the epoxy composite, which is observed in a shift of the initial destruction temperature to higher temperatures. Furthermore, during the thermal destruction of the composite, the yield of carbonized structures increases (from 54 to 70–77% of the mass), preventing the release of volatile pyrolysis products into the gas phase, which leads to a decrease in the flammability of the epoxy composite. The efficiency of the functionalization of the diorite surface with APTES has been proven, which ensures chemical interaction at the polymer matrix/filler interface and also prevents the aggregation of diorite particles, which, in general, provides an increase in the strength characteristics of epoxy-based composite materials by 10–48%.

The influence of basalt filler on mechanical properties of polyethylene (PE)- and polypropylene (PP)-based composites, and the effect of basalt on heat resistance and inflammability of polymer composite materials were studied. The introduction of basalt into the composite increases its elasticity modulus. The best mechanical properties are observed when 40 parts by weight of basalt per 100 parts of low-density PE and high-density PE are introduced. At the same time, a slight decrease in the deformation at failure is observed in basalt-filled PE composites. Deformation before failure is reduced from 380% for original PE to 250% for the composite containing 40 mass of basalt per 100 parts of PE. In the case of PP, this tendency is not observed. Other mechanical characteristics of polymer composites slightly change with the introduction of basalt particles as a filler. Incorporating basalt into PE and PP influences the combustibility of composites: oxygen index increases 1.3 times compared with the unfilled polymers, self-burning time decreases more than 2 times, and the loss of mass during ignition in the air decreases 2.15 times for PE-based composite and 1.75 times for PP-based composite. All indicators of flammability vary additively to the content of basalt, which is a noncombustible material.

Abstract. The present article showed the possibility of increasing the complex of mechanical properties of polyolefins with dispersed mineral fillers obtained by fine grinding of basalt rocks via ball mill processing. The composites based on dispersed basalt, which were derived from Samara rock mass (Russia) with rare earth elements containing, were obtained by extrusion combining the binder and filler, followed by preparation injection-molded test samples. The study of mechanical properties of materials developed showed the possibility of a significant increase in strength characteristics of different types of polyethylene: the breaking stress at static bending for HDPE can be increasing more than 60% and the impact strength by more than 4 times. In addition the incorporation of the dispersed basalt also enhanced the thermal properties of the composites (the oxygen index of HDPE increases from 19 to 25%).