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Aging behavior of optically transparent poly (methyl methacrylate) composites
Author(s) -
Lin Hongy,
Day Delbert E.,
Stoffer James O.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
polymer composites
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.577
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1548-0569
pISSN - 0272-8397
DOI - 10.1002/pc.750140506
Subject(s) - materials science , composite material , composite number , poly(methyl methacrylate) , polymer , monomer , methacrylate , evaporation , temperature cycling , thermal , hot pressing , methyl methacrylate , physics , meteorology , thermodynamics
The thermal aging between 25 and 115°C of hot pressed glass fiber reinforced poly (methy1 methacrylate)(PMMA) transparent composites was studied as a function of the temperature and time of hot pressing. Thermal aging at near the T g of the PMMA matrix caused dimensional changes and a reduction in optical transmission and clarity. The reduction in transmission was attributed to gas bubbles that formed in the matrix, which may be due to the evaporation of residual MMA monomer or low T g (∼ 75°C) polymer in the composites during aging. Thermal cycling between 25 and 100°C by eliminating low T g of the PMMA matrix establishes the upper temperature limit to which the composite can be exposed without seriously damaging its optical properties.