Microstructural Dependency of Diffusion in Glass Flake-Reinforced Vinyl Ester Resins

https://doi.org/10.22146/ajche.49751

Bryan B. Pajarito(1*), Masatoshi Kubouchi(2), Hiroyuki Tomita(3), Saiko Aoki(4)

(1) Department of Chemical Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 S4-5 O-okayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan ; Department of Chemical Engineering, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City 1101, Philippines
(2) >Department of Chemical Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 S4-5 O-okayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan
(3) >Department of Chemical Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 S4-5 O-okayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan
(4) >Department of Chemical Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 S4-5 O-okayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan
(*) Corresponding Author

Abstract


Vinyl ester resins are utilized for long-term corrosion protection of metal, alloy, and concrete substrates against concentrated acids, alkalis, and solvents at high temperature. Glass flakes are usually added as fillers to reduce chemical diffusion within the vinyl ester matrix. A common industry practice is to use glass flakes with large aspect ratio, high volume fraction, and in parallel alignment to surface in chemical contact for barrier applications. During processing and curing of glass flake-filled vinyl ester resins, irregular microstructures such as reduced flake aspect ratio and random orientation of flakes are commonly observed. Such microstructures can affect the overall chemical diffusion, resulting to barrier properties less predictable by simple diffusion models. Therefore, in this study, a simple 2D random walk simulation procedure is used in attempt to estimate the microstructural dependency of diffusion in glass flake-reinforced vinyl ester resins. While the random walk simulations are in good agreement with the tortuosity-based diffusion models in terms of microstructural effects, in most cases the simulation results are inconsistent with the experimental measurements of acid diffusion in glass flake-filled vinyl ester resins. A possible cause for this is the poor adherence of vinyl ester resin to glass flakes. Osmotic cracks are also formed during immersion which also influences overall diffusion through the material.

Keywords


Diffusion, Microstructure, Glass Flake, Vinyl Ester, Random Walk

Full Text:

PDF


References

  1. Chen, X. and T. Papathanasiou. (2007). “Barrier Properties of Flake-Filled Membranes: Review and Numerical Evaluation,” J. Plastic Film Sheet., 23, 319 – 346.
  2. Crank, J. (1975). The Mathematics of Diffusion, Clarendon Press, Oxford, U.K.
  3. Eitzman, D. M., R. R. Melkote, and E. L. Cussler. (1996). “Barrier Membranes with Tipped Impermeable Flakes,” AIChEJ, 42, 2 – 9.
  4. Farrar, N. R. and K. H. G. Ashbee. (1978). “Destruction of Epoxy Resins and of Glass-Fibre-Reinforced Epoxy Resins by Diffused Water,” J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys., 11, 1009 – 1013.
  5. Goodyer, C. E. and A. L. Bunge. (2007). “Numerical Simulations Compared Against Experimental Results for Barrier Membranes with Lithographically Printed Flakes,” J. Membr. Sci., 306, 196 – 208.
  6. Goodyer, C. E. and A. L. Bunge. (2009). “Comparison of Numerical Simulations of Barrier Membranes with Impermeable Flakes,” J. Membr. Sci., 329, 209 – 218.
  7. Lape, N. K., E. Nuxoll, and E. L. Cussler. (2004). “Polydisperse Flakes in Barrier Films,” J. Membr. Sci., 236, 29 – 37.
  8. Liu, Q. and E. L. Cussler. (2006). “Barrier Membranes Made with Lithographically Printed Flakes,” J. Membr. Sci., 285, 56 – 67.
  9. Ly, Y. P. and Y. Cheng. (1997). “Diffusion in Heterogeneous Media Containing Impermeable Domains Arranged in Parallel Arrays of Variable Orientation,” J. Membr. Sci., 133, 207 – 215.
  10. Moggridge, G. D., N. K. Lape, C. Yang, and E. L. Cussler. (2003). “Barrier Films Using Flakes and Reactive Additives,” Prog. Org. Coat., 46, 231 – 240.
  11. Pajarito, B. B., M. Kubouchi, H. Tomita, and S. Aoki. (2010). “2D Random Walk Simulation and Experimental Analysis of Barrier Properties of Vinyl Ester Glass Flake Linings,” Proceedings from the Materials Science & Technology Conference.
  12. Pajarito, B. B., M. Kubouchi, H. Tomita, and T. Sakai. (2012). “Absorption and Wet Retention of Flexural Properties of E-Glass Flake/Epoxy Composites under Corrosive Environment,” J. Mater. Sci. and Tech. Japan., 49, 32 – 38.
  13. Schweitzer, P. A. (2007). Corrosion of Polymers and Elastomers, CRC Press.
  14. Widom, B. (1966). “Random Sequential Addition of Hard Spheres to a Volume,” J. Chem. Phys., 44, 3888 – 3894.
  15. Yang, C., W. H. Smyrl, and E. L. Cussler. (2004). “Flake Alignment in Composite Coatings,” J. Membr. Sci., 231, 1 – 12.



DOI: https://doi.org/10.22146/ajche.49751

Article Metrics

Abstract views : 1833 | views : 1285

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


ASEAN Journal of Chemical Engineering  (print ISSN 1655-4418; online ISSN 2655-5409) is published by Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Gadjah Mada.