Urethane-Modified Epoxy Prepreg for Interlaminar Shear Strength

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Solution Overview

Problem

Fiber-reinforced resin composite materials, such as prepregs with epoxy resins, face challenges in maintaining stability at normal temperatures and achieving sufficient interlaminar shear strength and heat resistance, particularly due to the need for ultraviolet curing and insufficient adhesion in molded articles.

Innovation Solution

A prepreg composition containing urethane-modified epoxy (meth)acrylate, an unsaturated monomer, a polymerization initiator, and reinforcing fibers, with specific molar ratios and molecular weights, which enhances workability, moldability, and interlaminar shear strength while maintaining heat resistance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If epoxy resin compositions are used for prepregs, then stability at normal temperature is achieved, but curing proceeds at normal temperature requiring low temperature storage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestability at normal temperatureVSAvoidstorage condition
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the chemical parameters of the resin system by using radically polymerizable resin compositions with specific functional groups (carboxyl, hydroxyl, amine) instead of conventional epoxy resins. This parameter change allows the resin to maintain stability at normal temperature while preventing spontaneous curing, eliminating the need for low temperature storage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If radically polymerizable resin composition is used to improve workability, then ultraviolet curing is required, but molded article has insufficient interlayer adhesion

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveworkabilityVSAvoidinterlayer adhesion
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite resin system combining radically polymerizable resin with specific functional groups (carboxyl, hydroxyl, or amine) that provide both UV curability for workability and chemical bonding capability for interlayer adhesion. The functional groups enable covalent bonding between layers while the radical polymerization provides efficient curing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Ease of manufacture

If conventional prepreg is used, then manufacturing process is simple, but interlaminar shear strength is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing process simplicityVSAvoidinterlaminar shear strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the resin to include specific functional groups (carboxyl, hydroxyl, amine) with controlled content ratios. This enables the resin to form strong interlayer bonds through chemical reactions while maintaining a relatively simple manufacturing process similar to conventional prepreg production.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The prepreg composition provides molded articles with improved interlaminar shear strength, heat resistance, and workability, suitable for various structural applications, including automotive and aerospace components.

Implementation Method 1

a radically polymerizable resin composition that can be efficiently produced and that can have high stability at normal temperature... ultraviolet curing is required in order to improve the workability

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRadical polymerization: Photopolymerisation

Implementation Method 2

a urethane-modified epoxy (meth)acrylate (A) that is a reaction product of an epoxy (meth)acrylate (a1) having an average of 1.8 to 2.6 hydroxy groups per molecule and a polyisocyanate (a2) having an average of 2 to 3 isocyanate groups per molecule

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectUrethane formation reaction: Chemical Bonding

Data Source

PatentEP3395869B1Prepreg and molded article
Publication Date: 2020.09.23 DIC CORP

AI summary

Provided is a prepreg containing a urethane-modified epoxy (meth)acrylate (A) that is a reaction product of an epoxy (meth)acrylate (a1) having an average of 1.8 to 2.6 hydroxy groups and a polyisocyanate (a2) having an average of 2 to 3 isocyanate groups, an ethylenically unsaturated monomer (B), a polymerization initiator (C), and reinforcing fibers (D) as essential components, in which the molar ratio (NCO/OH) of isocyanate groups (NCO) in the polyisocyanate (a2) to hydroxy groups in the epoxy (meth)acrylate (a1) is 0.6 to 1.1, and the proportion of the ethylenically unsaturated monomer (B) in the total mass of the epoxy (meth)acrylate (a1) and the ethylenically unsaturated monomer (B) is 10% to 50% by mass. The prepreg has good workability and good moldability and can be appropriately used for various molded articles such as automotive members because various excellent physical properties such as interlaminar shear strength and heat resistance are provided.