Performance of filament-wound vessels from an organic fiber in several epoxy matrices
A study was carried out to select a state-of-the-art epoxy for wet filament winding. Ten epoxy systems were used to filament wind pressure vessels with a high-modulus, high-strength organic fiber. Data are reported on vessel performance, fiber strand strengths, and shear strengths for the different systems. Using our criteria (processibility, neat resin properties, and vessel performance), we find that an epoxy system based on the rubber-modified bis-phenol-F resin, diluted with vinyl cyclohexane dioxide and cured with mixed aromatic amines, can easily replace bis-phenol-A epoxies diluted with bis-(2, 3-epoxycyclopentyl) ether (such as ERL 2256 epoxy of Union Carbide) with comparable overall performance.