The brittle nature of epoxy polymers is one of their main drawbacks, preventing their widespread applications. In this research article, a new modifier with an extremely toughening effect on brittle epoxy was developed. It was found that introducing low‐molecular‐weight polyethylene glycol (PEG) in the low amounts (up to 10%) into epoxy matrix considerably improves the impact and fracture properties of epoxy thermosetting polymer without attenuating its tensile properties. Epoxy/PEG hybrid containing 10% PEG exhibited an impact strength of 56.3 kJ/m2 which is 5.7 times greater than that of pristine epoxy. The fracture strength of 7.7 MPa m1/2 with 540% increase compared to pure epoxy was also observed for the hybrid material. Morphological, chemical, and thermal properties of epoxy/PEG hybrid were studied using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, and differential thermal analysis, respectively, to find out the basic reasons behind such a considerable improvement. A new morphology, consisting uniformly dispersed PEG nanoparticles in the epoxy matrix, was observed for the modified hybrid. This unique morphology for epoxy/PEG was named as nanoblend. The results showed that the formation of nanoblend morphology with strong interaction between epoxy and PEG in the blend structure is responsible for epoxy toughness.
As far as i understand it, you have to get the 100% pure Polyethylene Glycol, [Propane 1,2 diol] it is used in many many applications, cosmetics, dairy industry and approved safe. I calculated that i can swallow 40 grams of the stuff and not suffer from any toxicity [80 kg]. But be careful of dilated products or even worse, the athylene glycol [1,2-ethaandiol], which looks and tastes the same but is lethal with only 100 grams for ann adult.
I ordered a litre yesterday, apparantly no more than 10% but do a test and let us know.
OK cool, thanks for the reply…i googled for the product and was surprised to find it on Amazon. I thought it can’t be so easy, that’s why I asked. Looking forward to your post,
two kind of products, polyethylene glycol PEG and propylene glycol PG or polypropylene glycol PPG, same as Polyethylene et polypropylene two plastics from same familly insolid form. i use them for many years. find from pharamacie officine. becarreful many industrial use it with water, it’s an antifreeze. it increase elongation to break of resin and elastic limit strength but reduce noticeably stiffness and Tg. Stiffness contribute to stability. to made simple, with peg board resist dings better but it dents and buckle easier. an other problem of peg/ppg is by time lost of properties. peg is the old school way to plasticize epoxy resin, for low flex range used in reactived way (combined with diglicidil ether) still and effective trick but for high flex hybride resin are the way and « Real » silica nanoparticules seems to be the new improvement for toughness with stiffness…
I’m interested in the high flex hybrid resin. I googled it but not sure what direction to go. Is a resin like this vinyl hybrid resin something you’re talking about or am I way off? https://perma-liner.com/vinyl-hybrid-resin/
I used it mixed with a standard one to about 15 , 20 % élongation to break to match diolen (pet fiber like xynol) to make car body parts. Finish parts with vls epoxy varnish wich stay realy flexible.