Young's modulus of vinyl ester composites cured by microwave irradiation: preliminary results

Abstract

The shrinkage of vinyl ester particulate composites has been reduced by curing the resins under microwave conditions. The reduction in the shrinkage of the resins by microwaves will enable the manufacture of large vinyl ester composite items possible. The difference in impact strength between microwave cured vinyl ester particulate composites and those cured under ambient conditions had been investigated and found to be minimal. In addition, a previous study found that the difference in fracture toughness obtained by short bar method between selected microwave-condition cured vinyl ester particulate composites and those cured under ambient conditions was only 0.5%. This project is to investigate the difference in Young’s modulus, ultimate tensile strength and yield strength between microwave cured vinyl ester particulate composites and those cured under ambient conditions. The results show that the difference in the Young’s modulus is minimal.