Desmocomp® – Raw Materials for Pultruded Composites with Excellent Chemical and Weathering Resistance

The use of fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) materials, made of a polymer matrix and reinforcing fibers, has been growing in the aerospace, automotive, and construction industries, where light weight, excellent mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance are desired. In most of these applications, a thermosetting polymer like unsaturated polyester, epoxy, or polyurethane is preferred. Although FRP materials deliver highly differentiated performance, they struggle to achieve long term Ultraviolet (UV) and weathering resistance. They all contain aromatic monomer units that absorb UV light, causing degradation of the polymer matrix. End markets continue to clamor the composite industry for better FRP solutions for outdoor applications. Herein we present a new thermoset technology, Desmocomp®, based on aliphatic polyisocyanates, which are unaffected by UV radiation and have excellent weathering resistance. These novel composites are particularly suitable for outdoor applications. This technology has proven to have low inherent flammability and high chemical resistance. Additionally, it is easy to process the liquid resin in fabricating composite materials. The liquid resin has long pot life at room temperature and shows rapid curing at elevated temperatures. Therefore, this technology is readily applicable to established composite manufacturing processes such as pultrusion.