Increasing the Lifetime of Water Transportation Vehicles by Using Multifunctional Composites with a Polymer Matrix, Ultradisperse Diamond, and Discrete Fibrous Filler

Abstract

Epoxy resin polymer composites with improved mechanical and thermophysical properties have been developed. To improve the material characteristics, an ultradisperse diamond and a multifunctional discrete fibrous (polyester–viscose–elastane) filler are added to the epoxy oligomer. The following properties of the composites are studied: hardness, residual stress, and thermal coefficients of linear expansion. It is established that the optimal concentration is in the range of q = 0.02–0.03 wt % relative to 100 wt % of the epoxy matrix for the multifunctional discrete fibrous filler and 0.05 wt % per 100 wt % of the epoxy matrix for the ultradisperse diamond. The models of formation of the structure of composites during the cross-linking process are proposed. They imply the presence of a polymer in the composites, an additional filler in the form of fibers, and a third structure in the form of external surface layers that are formed around the fibers in the polymerization process. The models illustrate the formation of the structure of composites at the micro-, meso-, and macroscopic levels.