Epoxy-clay nanocomposites were synthesized using a soy-based epoxy resin, which was prepared by the process of transesterfication and epoxidation of regular food grade soybean oil. Nanoclay was dispersed into the soy-based epoxy resin using a high shear mixer and sonication. Tensile testing of the nanocomposites showed that the nanoclay improved the modulus and the strength by 625% and 340%, respectively. Exfoliation of the nanoclay was investigated by X-ray diffraction. The influence of the montmorillonite clay upon the curing efficiency of the epoxy-anhydride resin system was studied as a function of the clay concentration using differential scanning calorimetry. Rheological test were also conducted to find the suitability of using the soy-based epoxy clay nanocomposites toward common composite manufacturing applications. The soy-based nanocomposites hold great promise as environmentally friendly and low cost materials for structural applications.
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