Hybrid polymer composites for rapid prototyping of gears

Based on unsaturated polyester resin (UP) of type Polimal 109-32RPyk, there were obtained hybrid composites with addition of four different inorganic ingredients. There were assessed mechanical and processing properties of these composites, especially regarding their application to production of gears with rapid prototyping methods. There was determined an apparent improvement in mechanical properties of hybrid composite samples compared to the control sample of pure UP. Tensile strength increased by up to 85 %, unnotched impact strength - by 95 % and Brinell hardness of samples by as much as 110 %. With a coordinate measuring machine there was also examined geometric accuracy of models produced from the obtained composites. Using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) there was observed surface morphology of brittle fractures.