Effect of Matrix Properties on Quasi-Static and Fatigue Properties of
Thermosetting Polyurethane and its GFRP composites
Abstract
In this study, the influence of resin crosslink density on
thermo-mechanical properties and fatigue behavior of polyurethane resins
and glass fiber reinforced polyurethane (PU-GFRP) composites were
investigated. This material is a candidate for renewable energy
applications like rotor blades in wind turbines. The thermo-mechanical
behavior and morphologies of three different PU resin systems were
analyzed using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and atomic force
microscopy (AFM). Results show that the system with low crosslink
density exhibits earlier crack initiation but higher strains before
failure, indicating initially a more brittle behavior but greater
polymer chain reorientation capacity. This phenomenon was correlated to
the different phase morphology and the hybrid nature of the investigated
PU resins. Residual strength analysis showed minimum influence on
tensile strength, and a slight modulus decrease after extensive creep
tests. This highlights the importance of fiber-matrix interaction on the
composite fatigue failure. The static mechanical properties of the
composites and SN fatigue tests allowed assessing the fatigue
performance and lifetime analysis under specific loading conditions.
Highly crosslinked systems show a significantly longer lifetime compared
to the medium crosslinked system. In conclusion, the study highlights
the importance of understanding resin crosslink density’s impact on
fatigue behavior in GFRP composites for better material and part design.