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Jean-Claude JANNEL: Cray Valley engineer (Total group)
INTRODUCTION
Update of the text written in 1992 for this treaty by Pierre CANARD (Cray Valley)
Unsaturated polyester (UP) resins are obtained by polycondensation of one or more diacids with one or more glycols, with at least one of the components containing an ethylenic double bond capable of subsequent reaction with a vinyl, acrylic or allylic compound.
The term polyester resin refers to the dissolution of unsaturated polyester prepolymer in a copolymerizable reactive diluent, the most widely used of which is styrene. It is in this liquid form that polyester resins are delivered to converters.
After the addition of various additives, fillers and reinforcements, various transformation processes, under the action of a suitable catalytic system, bring about the final copolymerization of the resin into a thermoset object.
Unsaturated polyesters have a relatively long history of use (1950s), mainly in the building industry (contact molding). They underwent a major revival from 1980 onwards, particularly in terms of formulations and process reliability, thanks to the development of industrial technologies for injection and compression molding in the automotive industry.
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Unsaturated polyesters UP
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The polyester resins market
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Global demand in 2002 was in the region of 1.63 million tonnes, of which :
420 kt in the United States ;
520 kt in Europe ;
230 kt in Japan ;
460 kt in Asia Pacific.
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Standards NF EN ISO
- Plastics – Unsaturated polyester resins – Conventional determination of reactivity at 80 degrees Celsius. Classification number: T51-175 - NF EN ISO 584 - 09-98
- General test methods for pigments and fillers – Part 5: Determination of oil absorption. Classification number: T31-222 - NF EN ISO 787-5 - 10-95
- Plastics –...
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