MULTI-FUNCTIONALIZATION OF EPOXY RESIN BY ADDITION OF REACTIVE GRAPHITIC NANOFIBERS (r-GNFS)

摘要

The mechanical properties of epoxy resin modified by several different concentrations of reactive graphitic nanofibers (r-GNFs) were investigated using three-point bending tests. These r-GNFs elevated the epoxy structure to a unified matrix system in which the reactive hydrogen of the -OH group can initiate the curing reaction. Flexural modulus, flexural strength and fracture toughness of the epoxy system were increased with addition of r-GNFs. The efficacy of the r-^sGNF-modified epoxy in resisting polymer degradation due to exposure to hygrothermal and UV radiation was studied by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. The results confirmed that r-^sGNFs were effective in resisting aging of the material. In addition, epoxy composites with r-^sGNFs showed enhancement of both dielectric properties and thermal conductivity over pure epoxy. In this work, epoxy nanocomposite specimens were prepared with a range of amounts of r-GNF ranging from 0.15 to 0.5 wt percent. Amongst all, the epoxy nanocomposite with 0.3 wt percent r-^sGNFs showed the most effective results, indicating an optimum concentration existed for both processing and performance.