Reactive and gel-free compositions for making hybrid composites
A substantially reactive and gel-free composition which comprises: a. particles capable of reaction with a radiation curable resin; b. a coupling agent for modification of the surface of said particles; c. a radiation curable resin; d. a radiation curable salt capable of inhibiting gel formation in said composition. Upon radiation cure of the composition, composites with excellent mechanical properties are obtained
1. A substantially reactive and gel-free composition which comprises:
a. particles capable of reaction with a radiation curable resin;
b. a coupling agent for modification of the surface of said particles;
c. a radiation curable resin;
d. a radiation curable salt capable of inhibiting gel formation in said composition.
2. The composition according to claim 1 wherein said particles a are inorganic particles.
3. The composition according to claim 2 wherein said inorganic particles are particles of metals, silicon oxides, metal oxides or aluminosilicates.
4. The composition according to claim 1 wherein said particles are organic particles.
5. The composition according to claim 4 wherein said organic particles are polymer particles.
6. The composition according to claim 5 wherein said polymer particles are polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide or polyester.
7. The composition according to claim 1 wherein said coupling agent is an organic zirconate, titanate or aluminate or a mono- or multi-functional silane.
8. The composition according to claim 1 wherein the radiation curable resin is a urethane (meth)acrylate, epoxy (meth)acrylate or polyester (meth)acrylate.
9. The composition according to claim 1 wherein the radiation curable salt is a metal (meth)acrylate.
10. The composition according to claim 9 wherein the metal is di or tri-valent.
11. The composition according to claim 1 wherein the particles are present at 1 to 60% by weight, the coupling agent is present at 0.1 to 5% by weight, the radiation curable resin is present at 99 to 40% by weight.
12. The composition according to claim 9 wherein the metal (meth)acrylate salt is calcium di(meth)acrylate, magnesium di(meth)acrylate, zinc di(meth)acrylate or aluminum tri(meth)acrylate.
13. Method for making a composite material which comprises subjecting the composition of claim 1 to UV cure.
14. Method for making an organic/inorganic hybrid composite material which comprises subjecting the composition of claim 2 to UV cure.
15. Method according to claim 14 wherein said inorganic particles are metals, silicon oxides, metal oxides or aluminosilicates.
16. Method according to claim 13 wherein said particles are polymer particles.
17. Composite material produced by the method of claim 13 .