Journal of Material Sciences & Engineering

Optimization of Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Unsaturated Polyester Resin as a Binder in Polymer Concrete for Manufacturing Precision Tool Machine Bases

Abstract

Haddad H and Sbarski I

This study investigates the effect of unsaturated polyester resin chemical composition on the coefficient of thermal expansion, damping properties, flexural strength, tensile strength and hardness. The resin is used as binder in polymer concrete for manufacturing the bases of precision tool machines in previous work published by the authors. Resins of various ratios of styrene-ARAPOL and methyl methacrylate (MMA)-ARAPOL were made and their curing kinetics was studied using viscosity measurements and exothermic reaction temperature profiles. The resins were studied using dynamic mechanical analysis and in-house thermal expansion measuring devices. It was found that ARAPOL–MMA (60:40) has the highest damping factor of 5.46%, and the thermal expansion coefficient of 7.98 × 10- 5/°C. This composition also has the optimum flexural and tensile strengths at 128 MPa and 58.6 MPa