In-situ effects on vinyl ester resin’s flammability and mechanical properties after adding maleated epoxy resin/epoxidized corn oil thermoset blend additive

With a global annual output of over 65 million tons and accounting for over 20% of all polymeric materials made today, thermoset polymers serve a significant role in modern industrial applications such as plastic and rubber. The high-density crosslinks not only give useful properties like as chemical and thermal resistance to the thermoset, but also make it difficult to modify. Here, using a maleated eco-thermoset blend additive (50% v/v) synthesized from epoxidized corn oil and epoxy resins (MEPECO), we show that adding an optimal amount of 5% MEPECO to vinyl ester (VE) resin improved flammability properties as analyzed by microcalorimeter, contact angle, and thermogravimetric analyzer. Using flexural testing and spectral analysis, the mechanical properties enhanced considerably in terms of strength and modulus with the same optimal amount of MEPECO. However, impact energy is much lower during digestion of the eco-thermoset resin due to shear yielding localization, as demonstrated by morphological analysis. The utility of these aliphatic polymers derived from epoxidised corn oil as a precursor of effective synergistic effects over petroleum-based epoxy resins was demonstrated in various engineering approaches for their potential application to green composites manufacturing.