Very Rapid Cure Capable Resin and Optimization for Pre-Preg Process Development of Barrier or Isolation Ply Materials

This proposal is for the development of a rapid cure resin system to be used as a galvanic barrier or isolation ply application on carbon fiber composite constructions. The galvanic barrier is composed of a UV curable resin used to make a pre-preg system with E-glass, 108-style fiberglass cloth. A UV cure resin is proposed with the use of high temperature and low dielectric cyanate ester monomers and oligomers. The cyanate esters will be copolymerized with epoxy, epoxy acrylate, novolac and bismaleimide monomers and oligomers to control Tg, viscosity, rate of cure and adhesion to the glass cloth and substrate. The UV catalyst for curing the cyanate ester formulations will be the type that produces a Lewis acid such as a sulfonium or oxonium type. The Tg and cure state of the resins will be evaluated by DSC. The resulting composite will be tested for elastic modulus, tensile strength and resin content.