Low HAP/VOC Compliant Resins for Military Applications
Abstract
Composite materials are used in the Department of Defense (DoD) because of their low weight and excellent properties, enabling the production of lighter weight and stronger vehicles, ships, and structures. Programs have been initiated to replace metallic components of high mobility multi-wheeled vehicles (HMMWV) and other Army vehicles and naval ships with composite parts. However, fabrication of composite materials can produce large amounts of volatile organic compound (VOC) and hazardous air pollutant (HAP) emissions. The Army Research Laboratory (ARL)/Drexel University have developed low HAP fatty acid vinyl ester (FAVE) resin systems that would allow DoD facilities to continue manufacturing vinyl ester (VE) resins using current practices and facilities, while reducing pollution and health risks. These resins reduce HAP content in composite resins by using fatty acid (FA) monomers as styrene replacements and using bimodal molecular weight distributions of VE monomers to maintain high performance while using low styrene/HAP contents.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA557560
Entities
Organizations
- Environmental Security Technology Certification Program