The Modification of a Rubber–Epoxy Matrix with Carbon-Containing Fillers for Heat-Shielding Materials

Abstract

Materials based on a rubber–epoxy matrix filled with coal-tar pitch and petroleum coking additive were investigated. The effect of the fillers on the degradation rate of the cured material and the coke residue yield was studied using data of thermogravimetric and differential thermal analyses and differential scanning calorimetry, It was established that the introduction of coal-tar pitches lowers the thermooxidative stability of the polymer matrix, while the introduction of petroleum coking additive raises it. In tests under isothermal and dynamic conditions, the greatest amount of coke residue is formed after annealing of the composite with petroleum coking additive. Burnout of the coke residue of the given material occurs in the widest temperature range. The influence of the nature of the filler and the test temperature on the mechanical properties of the materials was investigated. It was established that at elevated temperature the best deformation and strength properties are possessed by material with the petroleum coking additive. The prospects of using the obtained materials as heat-shielding coatings were assessed.