(2731)STUDIES ON CURE KINETICS AND UV RADIATION OF NANOCLAY MODIFIED SC15 EPOXY RESIN USED IN STRUCTURAL APPLICATIONS

摘要

The primary focus of this study is to investigate the effects of montmorillonite nanoclay (MMT) on cure kinetics and thermal degradation of epoxy composites exposed to UV radiation and elevated temperatures. Cure and thermal degradation studies were conducted on Diglycidyl ether of Bisphenol A (DGEBA) epoxy resin SC 15 epoxy modified with 1-3 wt% montmorillonite nanoclay (MMT). Addition of MMT changed the chemistry of the DGEBA mixture leading to changes in the rheological properties and ultimately the heat of reactions which increased with increasing clay content and ultimately affects the properties of the final composite. Based on the results, samples were fabricated and cured to 70, 80 and 90 % conversion and subsequently subjected to harsh UV radiation to study material's degradation rate based on different conversions and clay contents. Activation energy of decomposition along with decomposition temperature for each cured system were analyzed and compared to unexposed sample.