Analysis of Cryogenic Impact Properties for a Glass-Fiber-Reinforced Dicyclopentadiene with a Different Amount of Decelerator Solution

Abstract

Composites using dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) as a matrix have gained significant popularity owing to their excellent impact and chemical corrosion resistance. In the present study, experiments addressing the impact behavior of glass-fiber-reinforced DCPD were conducted to quantitatively evaluate its impact properties. The glass-fiber-reinforced polydicyclopentadiene composite utilized in impact tests was manufactured using structural reaction injection molding (S-RIM) because of its fast curing characteristics and low viscosity. The impact properties of the glass-fiber-reinforced DCPD (GF/DCPD) were quantitatively evaluated by varying its fiber content and decelerator solution. The impact properties of neat DCPD and GF/DCPD composites were examined with different amounts of decelerator solution under various temperatures from room temperature to cryogenic temperature to observe the ductile-to-brittle transition temperature (DBTT). With an increase in the fiber weight fraction of the GF/DCPD composite, the effect of the DBTT significantly decreased. However, the decreasing rate retarded as the weight fraction of the GF increased. The decreased DBTT with the addition of GF in the GF/DCPD can be attributed to the differences in the thermal expansion ratio and the interfacial force between neat DCPD and the fiber. A fractograph analysis demonstrates that the effect of the brittle (smooth) surface resulted in a lower impact absorbed energy when the temperature decreased, along with the increased amount of the decelerator.