Browsing by Author "Prokopenko, Olena M."

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Application of Physical and Quantum-Chemical Characteristics of Epoxy-Containing Diluents for Wear-Resistant Epoxy Compositions
(MDPI, Basel, Switzerland, 2025) Kulikov, Andrii; Sukhyy, Kostyantyn M.; Yeromin, Oleksandr O.; Fedak, Marcel; Prokopenko, Olena M.; Sukha, Iryna V.; Poloz, Oleksii; Mikats, Oleh; Hrebik, Tomas; Kulikova, Olha; Lopusniak, Martin
ENG: Low-viscosity epoxy-containing diluents are used to reduce the initial viscosity of highly filled, wear-resistant epoxy systems and to improve filler wetting and dispersion. This study determined physical parameters by an atomic-increment approach and electronic descriptors using the Parametric Method 3 (PM3) semi-empirical method. Clear relationships were established between the effective molar cohesion energy and the solubility parameter with van der Waals volume. Linear dependencies were also obtained between the diluent surface tension and spreading coefficients on model high-hardness fillers, including silicon carbide, boron carbide, and normal corundum. The activity of epoxy diluents depends on the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy. These diluents influence processing and the final physical and mechanical properties of composites, making their selection critical for strength, hardness, and wear resistance. Computational analysis enables prediction of diluent behavior, reducing experimental time and cost. Integrating physical and quantum-chemical data into epoxy diluent design accelerates the search for optimal components and improves production of durable, high-performance epoxy composites.
Solid-Phase Polycondensation of Polyethylene Terephthalate with Technologies of Its Reactive Extrusion
(MM Publishing s.r.o., Praha, Czechia, 2023) Rimar, Miroslav; Chervakov, Denys O.; Fedak, Marcel; Kulikov, Andrii; Kulikova, Olha; Sukhyy, Kostyantyn M.; Chervakov, Oleh V.; Bentsionov, Igor; Sverdlikovska, Olga S.; Belyanovskaya, Elena; Yeromin, Oleksandr O.; Prokopenko, Olena M.
ENG: It has been experimentally confirmed that polyethylene terephthalate during its processing into products destruct without carrying out the process of solid-phase polycondensation. The conditions for both primary and secondary polyethylene terephthalate have been determined for carrying out the process of solid-phase polycondensation for its effective reaction extrusion with chain extenders. To confirm the effectiveness of the parameters of the solid-phase polycondensation process of polyethylene terephthalate, its reaction extrusion was carried out with commercially available chain extenders of the diepoxide class. The optimal content of chain extenders of the diepoxide class for changing the complex of physical, mechanical and rheological properties of polyethylene terephthalate modified by them was determined. It allows obtaining materials with an increased by 2.2 times characteristic viscosity.
Study of the Impact of Epoxidized Soybean Oil on the Characteristics of Wood-Polymer Composites
(MDPI, 2025) Kulikov, Andrii; Kryvolapov, Dmytro; Sukhyy, Kostyantyn M.; Yeromin, Oleksandr O.; Fedak, Marcel; Prokopenko, Olena M.; Sukha, Iryna V.; Musaio, Angelo; Hrebik, Tomas
ENG: The effect of epoxidized soybean oil on the operational, technological, and physical and mechanical properties of composites based on high-density recycled polyethylene filled with wood floor was investigated. It has been shown that the introduction of epoxidized soybean oil in the amount of 0.5 wt.% into the wood-polymer composite (WPC) improves the physical, mechanical, and operational properties of the material: the Charpy impact strength (on notched samples) increases from 7.5 kJ/m2 to 20.0 kJ/m2, the bending strength increases from 31.6 MPa to 50.8 MPa, and the coefficient of linear thermal expansion decreases by 15%. With a further increase in the content of epoxidized soybean oil in the composite, its water absorption and technological shrinkage decrease, but its physical and mechanical properties deteriorate.