Arkema Inc launched this latest organic peroxide product from its Functional Additives business at the Composites 2010 trade show in Las Vegas, USA, last week.
Arkema reports that Luperox IS 300 organic peroxide initiator can assist in having infusion completed more quickly by controlling the speed and level of the final cure by the application of heat. This process is said to allow for a controlled cure and predictable final product quality, without introducing heat stresses from excessive exotherms, thus eliminating the need for post cure.
Michael O. Wells, applications engineer for Arkema Inc, gave a presentation on this topic during the Composites 2010 conference. His paper was entitled Controlled Radical Polymerisation in Vacuum Infusion of Large Parts.
“While vacuum infusion exists as one of the most remarkable new processes of recent decades, it still has drawbacks,” states Wells. “The chief among these is the need to use expensive epoxy materials to get the desired properties when dealing with large parts, such as wind blades and bridge girders."
"Through the use of controlled radical polymerisation and controlled temperature vacuum infusion, we can precisely control the rates of fill and cure of such large parts using lower cost vinyl ester resins with shorter processing times, faster turnarounds, no need for post curing, and exceptional mechanical properties compared to what is currently available,” he claims.
