Abstract:
Thermosetting resinous moulding compositions comprise (A) 10 to 70 parts by weight of a finely-divided solid filler of average particle size below 1 micron and (B) 90 to 30 parts of a polyester resin derived by heating above 150 DEG C. but not exceeding 250 DEG C. (a) one mol. of at least one unsaturated dicarboxylic acid selected from fumaric acid, maleic acid, maleic anhydride, citraconic acid and citraconic anhydride; (b) 3 to 5 mols. of adipic acid; (c) 7 to 9 mols. of succinic acid; (d) 0.5 to 5 mols. of propylene glycol; and (e) 14 to 9 mols. of ethylene glycol, the glycols providing at least 5 but not over 15 per cent numerical excess of hydroxyl over carboxyl groups. Up to 20 mol. per cent of the glycols may be replaced by higher glycols, e.g. diethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, triethylene glycol and neopentylene glycol, and 0.1 to 0.75 mols. of glycerol may also be included. Specified fillers are silica, calcium carbonate, aluminium silicate, magnesium silicate, talc, iron oxides, diatomaceous earth, hydrated alumina, hydrated silicates, mica, kaolin, bentonite and glass. The filler particles may be coated with resins, e.g. a melamine resin, soaps, e.g. aluminium and magnesium stearates, oils, e.g. tall oil, or fatty acids, e.g. stearic acid. Up to 30 per cent of the filler may be replaced by fibrous materials, e.g. asbestos, cotton, nylon, acrylonitrile resin and glass fibres. Plasticisers, e.g. tricresyl phosphate and dioctyl phthalate, inhibitors, e.g. hydroquinone, resorcinol, tannin, sym-alpha, beta-naphthyl p-phenylene diamine and N-phenyl-beta-naphthylamine, and, prior to use, catalysts, e.g. benzoyl peroxide, tertiary butyl hydroperoxide, ditertiary butyl peroxide, tertiary butyl perbenzoate and ditertiary butyl diperphthalate, may be added. The compositions may be used to form electrical insulation.