Cost Effective Surface‐Modified Basalt Fibers‐Reinforced Phthalonitrile Composites With Improved Mechanical Properties and Advanced Nuclear Shielding Efficiency

Abstract

This work relates for the first time ever the use of natural fibers to reinforce the high performance phthalonitrile resins. The excellent thermal stability of the basalt fibers (BFs) allows them to be the only natural fibers resisting the high curing temperatures of the phthalonitrile resins. Based on this promising combination, high performance polymer composites were prepared and their performances were scrutinized in terms of mechanical properties and nuclear shielding efficiency. The BFs which initially underwent a silane surface modification provided materials with metal equivalent tensile and flexural properties. For instance, the composite containing 15 plies of treated fibers achieved the tensile and flexural strengths of 700 and 780 MPa, respectively. Additionally, the same composite stopped 36% of the incident highly ionizing gamma rays. Meanwhile, morphological investigations further confirmed the enhancement seen in the mechanical properties. Overall, the studied composites can be used as advanced materials in extremely exigent applications. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:E912-E919, 2019.

Development of chopped glass fiber composites with difunctional benzoxazine and bio‐based phthalonitrile copolymer: A study of mechanical and thermomechanical properties

“…The organic compound in coupling agents can be easily degraded at high temperatures. A similar observation was recorded by Derradji and coworkers for silane‐treated basalt fibers 19 . The FTIR and TGA analysis results confirmed the effective treatment of silane coupling agent on GF.…”

Optimizing the thermal properties of fiber reinforced phthalonitrile composites

“…With years of exploration, PN composites have had a lot of theoretical and experimental basis in terms of the fabrication process, and some works of literature have been reported on the innovations and breakthroughs of curing mechanisms, and resin as well as fiber modification 12–17 . Recent research has focused on the development of the superior properties of fiber reinforced PN composites, such as low dielectric loss, 18,19 advanced mechanical properties at high temperatures, 20,21 as well as nuclear shielding performances 22–25 …”

High performance green composite from vanillin-based benzoxazine containing phthalonitrile and silane surface modified basalt fibers

“…In contrast with the traditional fibers, the BFs exhibit higher tensile strength than the E-glass fiber and better strain-to-failure than the carbon fibers. 19,20…”

“…In contrast with the traditional fibers, the BFs exhibit higher tensile strength than the E-glass fiber and better strain-to-failure than the carbon fibers. 19,20 Experimental Materials Vanillin (99%) was purchased from Alpha Aesar (Germany). Aniline (99%) and paraformaldehyde (99%) were acquired from VWR Chemicals (France).…”