UP: Unsaturated Polyester Resin

General Properties

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Unsaturated Polyester Resin

Unsaturated polyester resins (UP) are reaction resins with double bonds in the macromolecular backbone. These are a pre-requisite for copolymerization reactions without separation of reaction products. It is therefore possible to employ aluminum crucibles with pierced lids for their DSC investigation – just like for epoxy resins. Unsaturated polyester resins are available as cast resins, molding compounds or prepregs.

Structural Formula

Properties

Glass Transition TemperatureThe glass transition is one of the most important properties of amorphous and semi-crystalline materials, e.g., inorganic glasses, amorphous metals, polymers, pharmaceuticals and food ingredients, etc., and describes the temperature region where the mechanical properties of the materials change from hard and brittle to more soft, deformable or rubbery.Glass Transition Temperature	60 to 170°C
Melting Temperatures and EnthalpiesThe enthalpy of fusion of a substance, also known as latent heat, is a measure of the energy input, typically heat, which is necessary to convert a substance from solid to liquid state. The melting point of a substance is the temperature at which it changes state from solid (crystalline) to liquid (isotropic melt).Melting Temperature	-
Melting Temperatures and EnthalpiesThe enthalpy of fusion of a substance, also known as latent heat, is a measure of the energy input, typically heat, which is necessary to convert a substance from solid to liquid state. The melting point of a substance is the temperature at which it changes state from solid (crystalline) to liquid (isotropic melt).Melting Enthalpy	-
Decomposition reactionA decomposition reaction is a thermally induced reaction of a chemical compound forming solid and/or gaseous products. Decomposition Temperature	340 to 350 / 470 to 490°C
Young's Modulus	14000 to 20000 MPa
Coefficient of Linear Thermal Expansion (CLTE/CTE)The coefficient of linear thermal expansion (CLTE) describes the length change of a material as a function of the temperature.Coefficient of Linear Thermal Expansion	20 to 40 *10^-6/K
Specific Heat Capacity	1.26 to 2.30 J/(g*K)
Thermal ConductivityThermal conductivity (λ with the unit W/(m•K)) describes the transport of energy – in the form of heat – through a body of mass as the result of a temperature gradient (see fig. 1). According to the second law of thermodynamics, heat always flows in the direction of the lower temperature.Thermal Conductivity	0.3 to 0.7 W/(m*K)
DensityThe mass density is defined as the ratio between mass and volume. Density	1.17 to 1.26 g/cm³
Morphology	Thermoset
General properties	High strength and stiffness. High toughness. Good chemical resistance. Good electrical insulating properties
Processing	Compression, injection molding, casting, in the cured state: machining
Applications	Embedding of electronic components. Vehicle construction. Boat building (laminates). Building industry (e.g., dome lights). Electrical engineering. Reaction paints, adhesives

NETZSCH Measurement

Instrument	DSC 204 `F1` `Phoenix^®`
Sample Mass	15.63 mg
IsothermalTests at controlled and constant temperature are called isothermal.Isothermal Phase	8 min
Heating/Colling Rates	20 K/min
Crucible	Al, pierced lid
Atmosphere	N₂ (40 ml/min)

Evaluation

The DSC curve shown above indicates a Glass Transition TemperatureThe glass transition is one of the most important properties of amorphous and semi-crystalline materials, e.g., inorganic glasses, amorphous metals, polymers, pharmaceuticals and food ingredients, etc., and describes the temperature region where the mechanical properties of the materials change from hard and brittle to more soft, deformable or rubbery.glass transition (midpoint 66°C) in the 1^st heating, followed by two small overlapping peaks (attributable to the melting of additives) and post-Curing (Crosslinking Reactions)Literally translated, the term “crosslinking“ means “cross networking”. In the chemical context, it is used for reactions in which molecules are linked together by introducing covalent bonds and forming three-dimensional networks.curing with a peak temperature of 191°C and a reaction enthalpy of approx. 4 J/g.