Cyanate ester blends and composites to improve dielectric, mechanical, and thermal performance for functional applications

Technological advancements are exacting futuristic materials that exhibit comprehensive properties for diversiform applications. Cyanate Esters (CE) are promising materials that can suffice the current and future demands for myriad applications. This is possible because they exhibit multitudinal properties such as nominal density (1.17 g/m(3)), high dimensional stability, low moisture absorption (0.5-2.5 wt%), high-temperature operating conditions (> 300 degrees C), low loss factor (tan delta = 10(-3) to 6* 10(-3)), low dielectric constant (k = 2.6 - 3.1 F/m), EMI shielding, low defect density, strong wave permeability, thermo-mechanical and, chemical stability, excellent UV aging resistance, radiation resistance, excellent adhesion to conducting metals up to 250 degrees C, resistance to microcracks, glass transition temperature (240-290 degrees C), and good processability. CE's multifunctional properties paved the way for the exploitation as the matrix material in composites, an ideal thermoset for blending with various thermosets and thermoplastics resulting in phenomenal properties. CE is considered a desirable thermoset matrix for industrial applications due to its ability to meet the desired qualities, such as low cost, compatibility with conventional techniques, excellent shelf life, low curing temperature, high-temperature resistance, and low flammability. Moreover, CE-based composites and blends can be conveniently fabricated using existing techniques commonly employed for epoxy-based materials like resin transfer molding and filament winding, eliminating the need for developing new processing techniques. This review focuses on CE-based wave transparent composites, functionalization of fibers for better interfacial compatibility, shape memory polymers (SMP), EMI shielding effectiveness (EMI SE), and dielectric properties enhancement for various applications. [GRAPHICS]

Automated summary

Cyanate Esters (CE) are promising materials with multifunctional properties that can meet the demands of diverse applications. They have numerous advantages such as low density, high dimensional stability, low moisture absorption, and high-temperature resistance. CE is widely used as a matrix material in composites, and can be blended with various thermosets and thermoplastics to achieve phenomenal properties.