Authors:

Valentina Marin

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About Paper:

One of the main challenges when working with Elium 191 XO/SA resin is its sensitivity to temperature, as it can polymerize at room temperature without elevated-temperature curing. Controlling the heat released during polymerization is essential to prevent defects like thermal runaways or voids. Elium 191 XO/SA is important for producing recyclable fiber reinforced composites used in demanding structural applications such as wind turbine blades, where both performance and sustainability matter. This project focuses on analyzing the polymerization behavior of Elium 191 XO/SA under controlled heating conditions. Although DSC has been used for other resins, limited data is available for Elium 191 XO/SA. Without a validated kinetic model, predicting its behavior under different manufacturing conditions remains difficult. The initial phase involves conducting both dynamic and isothermal Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) to capture the full heat flow profile of the resin. The resulting data is used to fit kinetic models and determine the enthalpy of reaction and degree of conversion. In the second phase, this kinetic information will inform the vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) process. While DSC alone cannot predict macro-scale effects like overheating, combining it with material properties helps identify conditions that may cause under polymerization or excessive heat buildup during infusion. This research addresses the challenge of characterizing a thermoplastic resin that cures at room temperature, making the process one that requires both speed and precision. The goal is to develop processing parameters that ensure full polymerization while minimizing structural defects, ultimately improving the mechanical performance and reliability of high-performance composites. Keywords: Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC); Vacuum-Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM); Resin; Cure Kinetics; Thermoplastic Composites † Presenting Undergrad Author; ‡ Contributing Undergrad Author; * Undergrad Acknowledgment

Source:

Purdue University / 2025

Topics:

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Co-authors:

Valentina Marin