COUPLING AGENTS AND

COMPOSITES
GROUP 2

Submitted by:

Eleazar, Jerard S.

Baculi, Jeremy Lorraine

Dumaoal, Frances Dannah

 COUPLING AGENTS AND COMPOSITES

GROUP II
ELEAZAR, Jerard S.
BACULI, Jeremy Lorraine
DUMAOAL, Frances Dannah

COUPLING AGENTS AND COMPOSITES

A. COUPLING AGENTS
- coupling agents are chemicals added to improve adhesion between two phases in a
composite material.

Example:

1. Titanate Coupling Agent

- A type of coupling agent developed by the Kenrich Petroleum Chemical Company (United
state) in 1975. It can be divided into four basic types: (1) single-alkoxy (2) single alkoxy
group-pyrophosphate (3) chelated (4) ligand type.
2. Silane Coupling Agent
- Silane coupling agent is the earliest studied as well as most widely used coupling agent. It
was developed by the US Company Union Carbide (U.C.C.) for the development of glass
fiber reinforced plastic with more than 30 years of history.
3. Organic chromium coupling agent (methacrylic acid chromium complex)
4. Aluminate zirconium coupling agent
5. Polymer coupling agent.

B. COMPOSITES
- Composites are materials that contain strong fibers embedded in a continuous phase. The
fibers are called “reinforcement” fibers and the continuous phase is called the matrix.
- Modern composites are usually made of two components, a fiber and matrix. The fiber is
most often glass, but sometimes Kevlar, carbon fiber, or polyethylene. The matrix is
usually a thermoset like an epoxy resin, polydicyclopentadiene, or a polyimide.

History:
Charles Macintosh
• He took two layers of cotton fabric and embedded them in natural rubber, also known
as polyisoprene, making a three-layered sandwich like the one you see on your right.

 Composites have high tensile strengths (on the order of thousands of MPa), high Young’s modulus
(on the order of hundreds of GPa), and good resistance to weathering exceeding the bulk properties
of most metals.

- Overall, the properties of the composite are determined by:

1. The properties of the fibre
2. The properties of the resin

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3. The ratio of fibre to resin in the composite

4. The geometry and orientation of the fibres in the composite
APPLICATIONS OF COMPOSITES

1. Marine Craft
2. Outer Space
3. Biomaterials
4. Sports
5. Automobiles
6. Industry
7. Aerospace

Purpose of Composites:

1. To make a material that has the properties of both its components. (In this case, we combine
the water-resistance of polyisoprene and the comfort of cotton.)
2. High strengths and stiffnesses, ease of moulding complex shapes, high environmental
resistance all coupled with low densities, make the resultant composite superior to metals
for many applications.
3. Since Polymer Matrix Composites combine a resin system and reinforcing fibres, the
properties of the resulting composite material will combine something of the properties of
the resin on its own with that of the fibres on their own.
4. Composites are typically more resistant.

C. Resins
- bind the fibers together and help create the material’s strength and stiffness characteristics
Two types:
1. Thermosets
a. Polyester Resins
b. Epoxy
c. Vinyl Esters
d. Phenolic
e. Polyurethanes
f. Polyimides
g. Phenol-formaldehyde and amino-formaldehyde

2. Thermoplastics
- These resins are recognized by their capability to be shaped or molded while in a heated
semi-fluid state and become rigid when cooled. We are surrounded by everyday household
items made of thermoplastics.

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D. FIBERS
- Fiberglass is manufactured from a number of materials that are largely composed of silicon
dioxide that are cooled below their melting points (supercooled liquids) without
crystallizing.
- A common fiber-reinforced composite is Fiberglas TM. Its matrix is made by reacting
a polyester with carbon-carbon double bonds in its backbone, and styrene.

Other commonly used fibers:

a. Carbon
b. Aromatic Nylons
c. Boron
d. Polyolefins
e. Alumina - As in the case of carbon, aluminum oxide, or alumina, is allotropic, existing in different
forms. Polycrystalline alumina produces fibers. Two commercially available forms have about 95%
aluminum oxide and 5% silica.

What the Matrix Does?

- First of all, the matrix holds the fibers together. A loose bundle of fibers wouldn't be of
much use. Also, though fibers are strong, they can be brittle. The matrix can absorb energy
by deforming under stress. This is to say, the matrix adds toughness to the composite. And
finally, while fibers have good tensile strength (that is, they're strong when you pull on
them), they usually have awful compressional strength. That is, they buckle when you
squash them. The matrix gives compressional strength to the composite

E. NANOCOMPOSITES

Nanocomposites – are materials that incorporate nanosized particles into a matrix of standard material.
- The result of the addition of nanoparticles is a drastic improvement in properties that can
include mechanical strength, toughness, and electrical and thermal conductivity.
The effectiveness of the nanoparticles is such that the amount of material added is normally
only between 0.5 and 5% by weight.

 Nanocomposites can dramatically improve properties like:

- Mechanical properties including strength, modulus and dimensional stability
- Electrical conductivity
- Decreased gas, water and hydrocarbon permeability
- Flame retardancy
- Thermal stability
- Chemical resistance
- Surface appearance
- Optical clarity
 How Nanocomposites Work
- Nanoparticles have an extremely high surface to volume ratio which dramatically
changes their properties when compared with their bulk sized equivalents. It also changes

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the way in which the nanoparticles bond with the bulk material. The result is that the
composite can be many times improved with respect to the component parts. Some
nanocomposite materials have been shown to be 1000 times tougher than the bulk
component materials.
 Applications
Nanocomposites are currently being used in a number of fields and new applications are being
continuously developed. Applications for nanocomposites include:
- Thin-film capacitors for computer chips
- Solid polymer electrolytes for batteries.
- Automotive engine parts and fuel tanks
- Impellers and blades
- Oxygen and gas barriers
- Food packaging