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6602971 
Journal Article 
Unsaturated polyesters: Influence of the molar mass on the cure with styrene and the properties of the resulting networks 
Eisenberg, P; Lucas, JC; Williams, RJJ; , 
1997 
Yes 
Journal of Applied Polymer Science
ISSN: 0021-8995
EISSN: 1097-4628 
JOHN WILEY & SONS INC 
NEW YORK 
65 
4 
755-760 
English 
WOS:A1997XG78700013 
Fractions of an unsaturated polyester resin (UP), based on 1 mol maleic anhydride, 1 mol isophthalic acid, 1 mol propylene glycol, and 1 mol diethylene glycol, were obtained from an industrial reactor at various times during polyesterification. They were characterized by H-1-NMR and chemical titration. Increasing the reaction time from 1 to 9 h led to an increase in (a) the number-average molar mass (M-n) in the range 484-1712 g/mol, (b) the maleic acid-fumaric acid isomerization from 85 to 95%, (c) the glass transition temperature (T-g) from 251 to 267 K, and (d) the compatibility with styrene. Several of these fractions were cured with styrene, in amounts ranging from S/E = 2-5 (molar ratio of C=C double bonds in styrene, S, and unsaturated polyester, E), using benzoyl peroxide as an initiator. Increasing M-n led to an increase in the T-g value and a decrease in the amount of moisture absorption. Both effects were explained by the decrease in the concentration of the polar end groups present in the UP chains. However, using a relatively high styrene fraction in the formulation (i.e., S/E = 5) led to cured products exhibiting reasonably high T-g values (approaching the pure polystyrene value) combined with a low moisture absorption. This constitutes a practical way to revalorize batches of UP resins with molar masses out of specification. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 
Glass transition temperature; Styrene/UP ratio; Unsaturated polyesters; Water absorption