Unsaturated Polyester Resin Technology

Technical details

The chemistry principles of resin synthesis are simple. First, an acid and a glycol react to form an ester.

HOOCHC=CHCOOH + HOCH2CH2OH -> HOOCHC=CHCOOCH2CH2OH + H2O

maleic acid + ethyleneglycol -> ester + water

The acid group (COOH) reacts with the OH group to form an ester and a water molecule. There are still
two reactive groups on both sides of the ester chain. These can react with other groups to form a longer
chain, whose end-groups can react with other groups to form an even longer chain, and so on. In this way
a long chain can be formed, a polyester.

+ acid + glycol + acid + glycol +... -> ...acidglycolacidglycol... + n water

This reaction takes place at about 200°C, which allows the water to evaporate. The reaction will rapidly
increase the viscosity due to the growth of the chains. At a carefully chosen point, the reaction is halted
by cooling down the mixture. The polyester is diluted to styrene and additives (for controlling the curing
process, color etc.) are added.

Why use styrene as a diluent? Because, like the maleic acid component, it contains a double (i.e.
unsaturated) bond. Hence the name unsaturated polyester resin. When a small amount of initiator is
mixed with the resin, this will start a reaction between the double bonds of styrene and maleic acid. This
reaction is called curing and will result in a product that has high strength properties in all directions.

Below, a general overview is given of the production process for Unsaturated Polyester Resins.