Effects of UV Radiation on Degradation of Material Properties of Diglycidyl Ether of Bisphenol A (DGEBA) Epoxy Modified with Different Montmorillonite Nanoclays

摘要

Deleterious effects of UV radiation on thermal and mechanical properties of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) epoxy were investigated in this study. An SC-15 epoxy was modified with 2 wt. % of different montmorillonite (MMT) nanoclay under the trade names of Cloisite 10A, Cloisite 30B and Nanocor I.28E and subjected to UV radiation. Effect of various clay modifiers of MMT on cure kinetic of SC15 was studied using dynamic differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Fabricated epoxy samples were subsequently subjected to harsh UV radiation exposure for 500 hours using accelerated weathering chamber (QUV/SE) at 60° C and radiance of 0.90W/m . Thermal and viscoelastic properties were characterized before and after exposure. Storage modulus and glass transition temperature of SC15 epoxy composites increased with addition of nanoclay. Thermal decomposition temperature showed a different trend, Cloisite 10A and 30B showed 340.51 and 346.71℃ respectively, while neat and I.28E composite were 367 and 369℃ respectively.