Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A comparative study of accelerated weathering of epoxy resins based on DGEBA and HDGEBA

  • ORIGINAL PAPER
  • Published:
Journal of Polymer Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The durability of epoxy resins is an important factor in applications of composites to timber engineering. We carried out a comparative study of the effect of accelerated weathering on epoxy resins based on the glycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) or hydrogenated diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (HDGEBA) cured with 2,2,4-trimethylene-1,6-hexadiamine, using various characterization tools, including mechanical and thermal testing and SEM to evaluate the effect of exposure to UV light, moisture and elevated temperature cycles on the properties of the resins. Mechanical testing showed that after 6 months accelerated weathering reduced by 50% the tensile strength of DGEBA-TMDA while HDGEBA-TMDA epoxies lost slightly less strength over the same exposure period. Elongation at break increased after 6 months of accelerated weathering from 5.1 ± 0.1% to 7.5 ± 0.3% for DGEBA-TMDA epoxy specimens, and from 0.9 ± 0.3% to 2.0 ± 0.1% for HDGEBA-TMDA epoxy specimens. FTIR of the epoxies showed increases in the absorbance of hydroxyl and carbonyl groups for both epoxies on accelerated weathering, but the hydroxyl and carbonyl indexes reached values 90 and 40% higher respectively for DGEBA than HDGEBA-based epoxy resins. While susceptibility to accelerated weathering on the molecular scale was clearly greater for the DGEBA-based epoxy on the molecular scale, this did not translate into a significant deterioration in mechanical properties relative to HDGEBA over the time scale of the accelerated weathering experiments.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Miesner M (2008) Photodegradation of adhesives used in wood composite materials: Ph.D. Thesis, University of British Columbia

  2. Imoisili P, Ezenwafor T, Attah DB, Olusunle S (2013) Mechanical properties of cocoa-pod/epoxy composite; effect of filler fraction. Am Chem Sci J 3:526–531

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Orcione CE, Freuli F, Frigione M (2014) Cold-curing structural epoxy resins: analysis of the curing reaction as a function of curing time and thickness. Materials 7:6832–6842

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Soles CL, Yee AF (2000) A discussion of the molecular mechanisms of moisture transport in epoxy resins. J Polym Sci Part B: Poly Phys 38:792–802

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Nikolic G, Zlatkovic S, Cakic M, Cakic S, Lacnjevac C, Rajic Z (2010) Fast fourier transform IR characterization of epoxy GY systems crosslinked with aliphatic and cycloaliphatic EH polyamine adducts. Sensors 10:684–696

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Sahmetlioglu E, Mart H, Yuruk H, Surme Y (2006) Synthesis and characterization of oligosalicylaldehyde-based epoxy resins. Chem Pap 60:65–68

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Ahmad S, Gupta A, Sharmin E, Alam M, Pandey S (2005) Synthesis, characterization and development of high performance siloxane-modified epoxy paints. Prog Org Coat 54:248–255

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Hosur M, Barua R, Zainuddin S, Kumar A, Trovillion J, Jeelani S (2013) Effect of processing techniques on the performance of epoxy/MWCNT nanocomposites. J Appl Polym Sci 127:4211–4224

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Beg MDH, Pickering KL (2008) Reprocessing of wood fibre reinforced polypropylene composites. Part II: hydrothermal ageing and its effects. Composites Part A 39:1565–1571

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Hepburn D, Kemp I, Cooper J (2000) Degradation of filled epoxy resin surfaces. Polym Degrad Stab 70:245–251

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Woo RS, Zhu H, Leung CK, Kim J-K (2008) Environmental degradation of epoxy-organoclay nanocomposites due to UV exposure: Part II residual mechanical properties. Compos Sci Technol 68:2149–2155

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Lau D, Qiu Q, Zhou A, Chow CL (2016) Long term performance and fire safety aspect of FRP composites used in building structures. Constr Build Mater 126:573–585

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Karbhari VM (2007) Durability of composites for civil structural applications. Woodhead Publishing Ltd., Cambridge

    Book  Google Scholar 

  14. Ren D (2010) Moisture-cure polyurethane wood adhesives: wood/adhesive interactions and weather durability: Ph.D. Thesis, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia

  15. Awad SA, Fellows CM, Mahini SS (2018) Effects of accelerated weathering on the chemical, mechanical, thermal and morphological properties of an epoxy/multi-walled carbon nanotube composite. Polym Test 66:70–77

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Seong LY (2004) Durability of fiber reinforced polymer composites under tropical: Ph.D. Thesis, Civil Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore

  17. Woo RS, Chen Y, Zhu H, Li J, Kim J-K, Leung CK (2007) Environmental degradation of epoxy–organoclay nanocomposites due to UV exposure. Part I: Photo-degradation. Compos Sci Technol 67:3448–3456

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Beg MDH, Pickering KL (2008) Reprocessing of wood fibre reinforced polypropylene composites. Part I: effects on physical and mechanical properties. Composites Part A 39:1091–1100

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Stark N (2001) Influence of moisture absorption on mechanical properties of wood flour-polypropylene composites. J Thermoplast Compos Mater 14:421–432

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Dahl S, Hannebäck A (2012) Effect of process variations on thermally curing polymeric materials within OEM surface treatment: M.Sc. Thesis, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden

  21. Stark NM (2006) Effect of weathering cycle and manufacturing method on performance of wood flour and high-density polyethylene composites. J Appl Polym Sci 100:3131–3140

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Rabek JF (2012) Polymer photodegradation: mechanisms and experimental methods. Chapman and Hall, London

    Google Scholar 

  23. Okeson MA, Kellogg KG, Kallmeyer AR (2006) Impact damage growth in fiberglass/epoxy laminates subjected to moisture and low temperature thermal cycling. Proc. The Sixteenth International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference: International Society of Offshore and Polar Engineers

  24. Mailhot B, Morlat-Thérias S, Ouahioune M, Gardette JL (2005) Study of the degradation of an epoxy/amine resin, 1. Macromol Chem Phys 206:575–584

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Ceroni F, Cosenza E, Gaetano M, Pecce M (2006) Durability issues of FRP rebars in reinforced concrete members. Chem Concr Compos 28:857–868

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Zhao X-L, Bai Y, Al-Mahaidi R, Rizkalla S (2013) Effect of dynamic loading and environmental conditions on the bond between CFRP and steel: state-of-the-art review. J Compos Constr 18:A4013005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Islam M, Pickering K, Foreman N (2011) The effect of accelerated weathering on the mechanical properties of alkali treated hemp fibre/epoxy composites. J Adhes Sci Technol 25:1947–1959

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Nagle DJ (2009) Infrared spectroscopic investigation of the effects of titania photocatalyst on the degradation of linear low density polyethylene film for commercial applications. Ph.D. Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane

  29. Khalifa T (2011) The Effects of Elevated Temperatures on Fibre Reinforced Polymers for Strengthening Concrete Structures. Master Thesis, Queen's University, Canada

  30. Sikadur®-330 Product Data Sheet, Sikadur Australia Pty Limited (2015), Available http://aus.sika.com/en/solutions_products/document_library/product-datasheets/product-datasheets-sika-d.html?page=1 Accessed 23 March 2017

  31. Hernandez DA, Orlandi MO (2016) Mechanical properties of composites materials SikaCarbodurs512, Sikadur 30 and Sikadur 330 Brasilian Congress of Engineering and Materials Science Natal, Brazil, 6–10 November

  32. Haghani R (2014) Analysis of adhesive joints between fibre-reinforced polymer laminates and structural steel members. Aust J Structural Eng 15:393–406

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Mr. Andrew Wallace, Mr. Wayne Dillon and Mr. Tony Mackinnon for instrumental assistance, and Dr. Jason Watling from Bryan Holden Ltd. for donation of the UV Chamber. Mr. Awad’s studies are supported by the Higher Committee for Education Development (HCED) and The University of Anbar in Iraq.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Science and Technology, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia

    Sameer A. Awad & Christopher M. Fellows

  2. Department of Chemistry, College of Education for Pure Science, University of Anbar, Ramadi, Iraq

    Sameer A. Awad

  3. Discipline of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia

    S. Saeed Mahini

  4. School of Engineering and Built Environment, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, 4111, Australia

    S. Saeed Mahini

Authors
  1. Sameer A. Awad
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Christopher M. Fellows
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S. Saeed Mahini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christopher M. Fellows.

Electronic supplementary material

ESM 1

(DOCX 1632 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Awad, S.A., Fellows, C.M. & Saeed Mahini, S. A comparative study of accelerated weathering of epoxy resins based on DGEBA and HDGEBA. J Polym Res 25, 103 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10965-018-1489-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10965-018-1489-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation