Structuring in filled thermosetting polymers

Using scanning electron microscopy, it was established that the surface of fibrous (organic, carbon, and glass fibers; boron filament) and dispersed ( copper, nickel, and carbon black powders) fillers noticeably affects the pr ocesses of phase separation of epoxy and phenol-formaldehyde binders and de termines the variety of matrix structures based on these binders. It was su ggested that the disperse structures revealed in epoxy resins arise in the course of particle coagulation at the secondary minimum of the interaction potential curves, whereas those formed in phenol-formaldehyde matrices aris e at the primary minimum.