WIDE APPLICATIONS OF USER-FRIENDLY PHENOLIC RESINS

Aram Mekjian Mektech Composites Inc. 40 Strawberry Hill Road Hillsdale, ! 0"#4$

ABSTRACT
%henolic resins, the oldest polymer in&ented, are increasin'ly bein' (sed in &ario(s applications d(e to the de&elopment o) (ser*)riendly resins that can be (sed to prod(ce composites with hi'hly desirable +ire,Smoke and -hermal properties. .ow &iscosity resoles that can be processed &ia Hand lay*(p, Spray*(p, /ac((m In)(sion, R-M, +ilament 0indin', %(ltr(sion and Compression Moldin' ha&e red(ced the cost o) prod(ction. Applications in Mass -ransit, Aerospace, Marine, Minin', Corrosion, Architect(re and a new )irst )or composites 1 Helicopter .andin' %ad will be disc(ssed. 234 05R6S7 %henolic, +lameSpread,+lammability,Smoke -o8icity, Hi'h -emperat(re

1. INTRODUCTION
-here are many di))erent types o) polymers in e8istence that are bein' (sed to prod(ce composites ha&in' a hi'h stren'th to wei'ht ratio to replace the (se o) metal, wood and concrete. -he wei'ht red(ction, corrosion resistance and one piece moldin' capability make the (se o) composites desirable and economical. 5ne disad&anta'e o) composites is that they will b(rn, o)ten emittin' hi'h le&els o) smoke and to8ic )(mes which makes e'ress di))ic(lt in enclosed areas s(ch as tall b(ildin's or trains, s(bways or b(ses tra&ellin' in t(nnels or (nder'ro(nd. -he oldest polymer, %henolic, in&ented in 9:0;, has the 'reat ad&anta'e o&er other polymers in that it will not b(rn readily and when it does b(rn, it 'i&es o)) &ery little smoke or to8ic )(mes, th(s allowin' a lon'er time to e'ress. +or years, %henolics ha&e been (sed in the )orm o) pre*pre's, which are e8pensi&e and re<(ire hi'h temperat(re and press(re to mold. %henolic moldin' compo(nds, which are compression or injection molded, are 'eared )or hi'h &ol(me prod(ction and ha&e limited mechanical properties d(e to the short )iber len'ths (sed. Recently de&eloped resoles, which are contin(ally optimi=ed, o))er easy processin' &ia common techni<(es, s(ch as those (sed )or >nsat(rated %olyester or /inyl 3ster..

2. PROCESSING
2.1 Resin Se&eral resins are a&ailable, with a &iscosity as low as $00 cps or as hi'h as 4000 cps or e&en thi8otropic &ersions to accommodate the process (sed. 2.2 Catalyst Se&eral acid catalysts with a pot li)e ?workin' time@ ran'in' )rom ; min(tes to ; ho(rs at $;C will accommodate any process (sed. 2.3 Cure Most %henolics re<(ire heat inp(t to c(re, typically A0 1 4; min(tes at #0 * "0 C. A)ter de*moldin' and trimmin', a postc(re o) $ 1 A ho(rs at #0 * B0C is re<(ired to pro&ide a hi'h cross*link density. Some resorcinol based %henolics can be c(red at ambient. Some %(ltr(sion 'rade %henolics do not re<(ire any catalyst. 2.4 Finish Most %henolic composites are painted. Howe&er, specially modi)ied polyester 'elcoats are a&ailable that pro&ide 'ood adhesion and match the thermal coe))icient o) e8pansion o) %henolic composites.

3. PROPERTIES
3.1 Fire / Smoke %henolic composites ha&e e8cellent +ire,Smoke,Smoke -o8icity properties as ill(strated in -able 9. 3.2 High Temperature %henolic composites are rated )or $00C contin(os application. -he +le8(ral Mod(l(s meas(red at $00C compared to $;C has o&er :0C retention. >nsat(rated %olyesters, /inyl 3sters or 3po8ies, on the other hand, wo(ld drop to ;0C retention at abo(t 9;0C.

4. APPLICATIONS
4.1 Mass Transit %henolics are ideal )or (se on s(bways, trains or b(ses that tra&el (nder'ro(nd where a )ire wo(ld impose se&ere hardship and a lon'er e'ress pro&ided by %henolics wo(ld be hi'hly desirable. >S +ire,Smoke re<(irements are <(ite la8 compared to most 3(ropean and Asian re<(irements. +ollowin' )ire disasters at 2in's Cross station in .ondon (nder'ro(nd and a recent )ire in a 2orean s(bway, %henolic composites are the only material that will meet the c(rrent re<(irements ?DS #B;A@. -able $ ill(strates the c(rrent >S Rail Car re<(irements compared to what %henolics can achie&e. -he (se o) %henolic composites in the >S is 'rad(ally increasin' as )amiliarity and e8perience o&ercomes the rel(ctance to chan'e. Some e8amples o) %henolic applications in Mass -ransit are7 4.1.1 In San +rancisco, the interior o) DAR- C cars were hand laid %henolic. 4.1.2 -rash bins on Amtrak trains.

4.1.3 Dalsa cored )loorin' )or trains and b(ses (sin' the R-M process replacin' plymetal ?plywood with a metal skin@. A ;0C wei'ht red(ction is achie&ed, as well as pro&idin' better )ire properties and lon'er li)e. 4.1.4 Dalsa cored doors )or s(bways in Italy (sin' the R-M process. 4.2 Construction /ac((m in)(sed %henolic has passed AS-M 3 9A# on*Comb(stibility -est ?See -able A@. +ilament wo(nd %henolic press(re pipe )or (se on 5))shore plat)orms has passed the !et +ire -est per >255A '(idelines. -his has led to &ario(s applications in the Constr(ction ind(stry. 4.2.1 A Helicopter .andin' %ad 1 a )irst )or composites 1 was installed on the roo) o) Cooper Hospital in Camden, !. -ypically, Helipads are constr(cted (sin' steel. Howe&er, this wo(ld ha&e been too hea&y, re<(irin' rein)orcements. Al(min(m was rejected beca(se it wo(ld melt and b(rn too )ast in case a helicopter crashed and ca(sed a jet )(el )ire. -h(s, %henolic was chosen and constr(cted (sin' /ac((m In)(sion with an Iso*cyan(rate )oam core. Some panels were 4.:m 8 ".:m and $0.Acm thick ?9#)t 8 $#)t and B inches thick@. -he in)(sion time was as lon' as A.; ho(rs, th(s makin' 'ood (se o) the low &iscosity o) the resin and the delayed action catalyst with a ; ho(r pot li)e. Deneath the s(r)ace o) the Helipad, electrical wirin' was placed to heat the s(r)ace and melt the snow in winter. Since %henolic composites ha&e e8cellent heat resistance, this is not a problem. 4.2.2 -he clock tower on top o) the City Hall b(ildin' in ew 4ork City was re)(rbished (sin' balsa cored %henolic str(ct(res. A)ter three )ires in the clock tower, it was decided to (se a more )ire resistant material. 4.2.3 +actory M(t(al Appro&ed %henolic +(me and , or 38ha(st d(ctin' is e8tensi&ely (sed in the semicond(ctor ind(stry. %henolic d(ctin' meets the re<(irements shown in -able 4. /inyl 3ster or >nsat(rated %olyester d(ctin' wo(ld re<(ire water sprinklers inside the d(ct to pass 1 d(e to the m(ch hi'her heat release than %henolic composites. 4.3 !!shore "lat!orms +ilament wo(nd %henolic pipe has met IM5 .e&el A re<(irements and passed the !et +ire -est, bein' e8posed to a&era'e temperat(res o) o&er 9BB0 + ?90$"C@ )or $0 min(tes. %henolic press(re pipe is e8tensi&ely (sed )or the del('e system on 5))shore plat)orms. 4.4 Corrosion #n$ustry -he hi'h temperat(re resistance and corrosion resistance o) %henolic allows the (se o) liners )or tanks containin' 3thylene 6ichloride at 9#0+ ?"9C@ and )or thermal o8idi=ers and scr(bbers.

5. CONCLUSION
-he e8cellent +ire , Smoke , Smoke -o8icity properties and hi'h temperat(re resistance o) %henolics make it the ideal polymer )or many applications where )ire sa)ety and e'ress are important. Combined with the ease o) )abrication o) recently de&eloped resins, the (se o) %henolic composites sho(ld increase si'ni)icantly.

6. BIOGRAPHY
Aram Mekjian is %resident o) Mektech Composites Inc. He is the e8cl(si&e 6istrib(tor ?in orth America@ o) Cellobond %henolic resins 1 now owned by Dorden Chemical Inc 1 which he introd(ced to the >S market in 9::0 as D(siness Mana'er )or D% Chemicals. %rior to that, Aram was the -echnical 6irector and %rod(ct Mana'er )or Aristech %olyesters )or 9A years. He recei&ed a DS in Chemistry )rom /aldosta State Colle'e, a MS in Chemistry and MDA in Marketin' )rom +airlei'h 6ickinson >ni&ersity.

Tabl 1 ! F"# $ S%&' T () R (*l)( &+ C ll&b&+, P- +&l". La%"+a) (

T () 58y'en Inde8 AS-M 6$B#A, 3S "94 -emperat(re Inde8 -(nnel -est AS-M 3 B4 +lammability Classi)ication + + 9#*909 5S>

P #/&#%a+. I'nitability >;;C > 4$0C +lame Spread ; Smoke 6ensity ; :4/0 +lame Spread M9 Smoke E -o8icity +9 -otal Heat Release $# 2w,min,m$ %eak heat Release 40 2w,m$ Radiant Heat +l(8 ?2w,m$@ Seconds 2w,m$ 2! C 2!,' M$,k' ;0 9"0 900 $0# $A 9; $$4 "; "; 99B $9" $: 9; $4"

Cone Calorimeter AS-M 9A;4 -ime to I'nition Ma8 Heat Release Rate -otal Heat Released 0ei'ht .oss A&era'e Heat o) Comb(stion A&era'e Speci)ic 38tinction Coe))icient

Tabl 2 ! C*## +) Pa(( +0 # Ra"l E1*"2% +) R 1*"# % +)(3 C&%2a# , )& P- +&l". A.-" 4 % +)

-3S-

Re<(irement

%ainted %henolic ?A;C 'lass@

AS-M 3 9#$ +lame Spread AS-M 3##$ Smoke 6ensity

Is

A;

0.B;

6s ?9.; min(tes@ 6s ?4.0 min(tes@ 6s ?Ma8im(m@ -ime to Ma8im(m 6s ?Min(tes@ DS Smoke Chamber Fas Analysis ?ppm@ C5 H+ 5$ HCl HC S5$

900 $00 1 1

0.# 9; ;9 94

A;00 $00 900 ;00 9;0 900

900 0 0 0 0 B0

G+ederal Re'ister , /ol. #4, o. :9 ?May 9$, 9:::@ also +-A,>M-A 9:B4 and 9::A

Tabl 3 ! AST5 E 136 ! N&+ C&%b*()"b"l")6 65 ! 789 0la((

R 1*"# % +)

R (*l)

A0 seconds into the test 1 o +lame Ma8im(m Chamber -emperat(re Increase * A0C Startin' temperat(re 3ndin' -emperat(re Ma8im(m 0ei'ht .oss 1 ;0C

o +lame ";0C ""4C 9$C

Tabl 4 ! Fa.)&#6 5*)*al R ( a#.- P#&)&.&l Cla(( N*%b # 4:22 AS-M 3*B4 +lame Spread Smoke 6ensity 58y'en Domb Calorimeter A(toi'nition -emperat(re ; 90 "$A; Dt(,lb ?9.#B$ 8 904 k!,k'@ BB"+ ?4";C@

-he ma8im(m thermoco(ple readin' taken 9 )t ?0.Am@ )rom inside the e8ha(st end o) -he d(ct was #A:+ ?AA"C@. Ma8im(m allowable7 9000+ ?;ABC@