The Effect of a Rapid Heating Rate, Mechanical Vibration and Surfactant Chemistry on the Structure–Property Relationships of Epoxy/Clay Nanocomposites

Materials

Betime Nuhiji¹  Darren Attard²  Gordon Thorogood²  Tracey Hanley²  Kevin Magniez¹  Jenny Bungur¹ 

[1] Institute for Technology Research and Innovation (ITRI), Deakin University, Pigdons Road, Waurn Ponds, Geelong 3217, Australia; E-Mails:;Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, PMB 1, Menai NSW 2234, Australia; E-Mails:

关键词: nano-structures;    vibration;    mechanical properties;    rheological properties;    X-ray diffraction;    small angle X-ray scattering;    electron microscopy;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ma6083624

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

The role of processing conditions and intercalant chemistry in montmorillonite clays on the dispersion, morphology and mechanical properties of two epoxy/clay nanocomposite systems was investigated in this paper. This work highlights the importance of employing complementary techniques (X-ray diffraction, small angle X-ray scattering, optical microscopy and transmission electron microscopy) to correlate nanomorphology to macroscale properties. Materials were prepared using an out of autoclave manufacturing process equipped to generate rapid heating rates and mechanical vibration. The results suggested that the quaternary ammonium surfactant on C30B clay reacted with the epoxy during cure, while the primary ammonium surfactant (I.30E) catalysed the polymerisation reaction. These effects led to important differences in nanocomposite clay morphologies. The use of mechanical vibration at 4 Hz prior to matrix gelation was found to facilitate clay dispersion and to reduce the area fraction of I.30E clay agglomerates in addition to increasing flexural strength by over 40%.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2013 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.