The composites market is moving forward, driven in part by healthy commercial aircraft orders and growing demand in Asia and Europe. This growing demand is stimulating developments in every area of composites processing, especially those areas best suited for high-volume transportation and infrastructure applications in which composites are challenging traditional materials. However, to achieve successful competitiveness, the manufacturing of high-quality advanced composite materials has to be done at the lowest possible cost.

Epoxy resins are widely used in prepregs and commercialized for advanced composites applications (i.e.: Aircraft Structures, Racing Vehicles, Sporting Goods, etc.). These materials have two common characteristics: high cost and long processing time.

Vinyl Ester Resins

Vinyl ester resins, that offer a bridge between lower-cost, rapid-cure and easily processed polyesters and higher performance epoxy resins, have been traditionally widely used in corrosion resistance reinforced plastics.

Thanks to the following inherent characteristics, vinyl ester resins have expanded and will continue to expand the market of the reinforced thermosetting plastics :

1. They are tough because of their high tensile elongation relative to their Heat Deflection Temperature.
2. They have high cohesive strength, wet out, and bond well to glass fiber and many other fibrous reinforcements.
3. They process easily with catalyst systems that have low toxicity and are easily dispersed.
4. They provide cured polymers that resist to a range of chemicals.

Beyond the corrosion market, many new applications have been developed for vinyl ester composite materials, such as structural components, automotive, marine and military applications.