Development of high radiation-resistant glass fiber reinforced plastics with cyanate-based resin for superconducting magnet systems

Highlights: • GFRPs for superconducting magnet systems were developed. • Cyanate-based resins were used for GFRPs as matrices. • Radiation resistance was evaluated based on gas evolution and mechanical properties. • GFRP with bismaleimide-triazine resin exhibited excellent radiation resistance. - Abstract: Glass fiber reinforced plastics (GFRPs) with cyanate ester resin/epoxy resin, bismaleimide resin/epoxy resin, and bismaleimide-triazine resin as matrices were developed for the superconducting magnet systems used in high intensity accelerators. The radiation resistance of these GFRPs was evaluated based on their gas evolution and changes in their mechanical properties after gamma-ray irradiation with dose of 100 MGy in vacuum at ambient temperature. After irradiation, a small amount of gas was evolved from all of the GFRPs, and a slight decrease in mechanical properties was observed compared with the conventional epoxy resin-GFRP, G10. Among the GFRPs, the smallest amount of gas (6 × 10⁻⁵ mol/g) was evolved from the GFRP with the bismaleimide-triazine resin, which also retained more than 88% of its flexural strength after 100 MGy irradiation; this GFRP is thus considered the most promising material for superconducting magnet systems.