Polymer-Based Thermal Protective Composites: The Role of Reinforcement and Matrix in Providing Strength and Fire Resistance

Meiirbekov M. Kuandyk A. Sadykov M. Nurzhanov M. Yesbolov N. Baiserikov B. Ablakatov I. Mustafa L. Medyanova B. Kulbekov A. Orazbek S. Yermekov A.
May 2025 Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)

Polymers
2025 #17 Issue 10

This study addresses the need for thermomechanically robust materials for high-temperature environments by investigating fabric-reinforced composites produced through polymer infiltration and thermal pressing using phenol-formaldehyde (PF) and epoxy (ER) resins. Experimental validation was required due to the lack of comparative data across different textile reinforcements under identical conditions. Seven technical fabrics—carbon, aramid, basalt, silica, fiberglass, asbestos, and a carbon/aramid hybrid—were used as reinforcements. Mechanical testing revealed that carbon- and hybrid fiber composites exhibited the highest tensile (up to 465 MPa) and compressive strengths (up to 301 MPa), particularly when combined with ER. Conversely, the use of PF generally resulted in a 30–50% reduction in mechanical strength. However, PF-based composites demonstrated superior thermal resistance, with the silica/PF combination showing the lowest back-face temperature (401 °C), up to 37% lower than other pairings. Thermal conductivity ranged from 0.041 to 0.51 W/m·K, with PF-based systems offering 6–12% lower values on average compared to ER-based analogs. Morphological analysis confirmed better interfacial bonding in ER composites, while PF systems showed higher structural integrity under thermal loading. Overall, the results emphasize the trade-offs between mechanical strength and thermal protection depending on the fabric–resin combination. Among all variants, the silica fabric with PF demonstrated the most balanced performance, making it a promising candidate for thermomechanical applications.

epoxy resin , fabric reinforcement , fire resistance , mechanical properties , phenol-formaldehyde resin , thermal conductivity , thermal-resistant composites

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JSC “National Center of Space Research and Technology”, Almaty, 050010, Kazakhstan
Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, 050040, Kazakhstan
School of Materials Science and Green Technologies, Kazakh-British Technical University, Almaty, 050005, Kazakhstan
Mining and Metallurgical Institute Named After O.A. Baikonurov, Kazakh National Research Technical University Named After K.I. Satbayev, Almaty, 050043, Kazakhstan

JSC “National Center of Space Research and Technology”
Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics
School of Materials Science and Green Technologies
Mining and Metallurgical Institute Named After O.A. Baikonurov

10 лет помогаем публиковать статьи Международный издатель

Книга Публикация научной статьи Волощук 2026 Book Publication of a scientific article 2026