In recent years, extensive research has been conducted to enhance the thermal stability and maximize the mechanical performance of unsaturated polyester resins (UPR), which are widely used in the composite industry. While UPRs possess excellent proces...
In recent years, extensive research has been conducted to enhance the thermal stability and maximize the mechanical performance of unsaturated polyester resins (UPR), which are widely used in the composite industry. While UPRs possess excellent processability, they are characterized by relatively low thermal durability and limited interfacial bonding with glass fibers. To overcome these limitations, this study incorporated 4,4'-methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) at various weight fractions and comprehensively analyzed the resulting changes in the thermal, physical, and mechanical properties of glass fiber fabric composites. For the structural and thermal characterization of the modified resin, FT-IR, viscosity, DSC, and TGA analyses were performed. The physical properties of the composites were evaluated by measuring thickness, density, fiber volume fraction, and void content, while changes in the glass transition temperature and cross-link density were analyzed using DMA. Furthermore, mechanical performance was assessed by measuring tensile, flexural, and interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) using a UTM, and SEM was employed for cross-sectional analysis to observe void formation and morphological changes in the fracture surfaces. Additionally, accelerated thermal aging tests were conducted to compare mechanical properties before and after aging, thereby verifying long-term thermal durability. The results indicated that while the inherent thermal stability of the resin significantly improved with increasing MDI content, a slight deterioration in physical properties was observed at concentrations of 2.0wt.% or higher due to increased viscosity. However, mechanical evaluations confirmed a robust chemical modification effect that compensated for these physical drawbacks. In particular, the composite with 1.5wt.% MDI exhibited optimal values in terms of both and all mechanical indices. In conclusion, this study confirms that the addition of an appropriate amount of MDI induces the formation of urethane bonds within the UPR matrix, thereby significantly enhancing the overall physical properties and thermal durability of the resulting composites.