Processing of Multifunctional Epoxy Resins Modified with Silicon Based Nanomaterials (PREPRINT)

摘要

Improvements in thermal and physical properties of epoxy resin systems have been demonstrated in the past through the influence of fillers. However, these improvements often come with a significant cost to processability. This paper examines the influence of nanofillers on a multifunctional epoxy resin system in terms of processability and thermal properties. The nanocomposites explored included nanosilica, linear calcium silicate (wollastonite), and polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) in CYCOM 977-3 resin. Composites with three to five weight percent of nanofillers were produced using IKA high shear mixers. The thermal and flow properties of the composites were evaluated using Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analysis (DMTA) and parallel plate rheology. The microstructure of the composite was explored using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Each of the nanofillers used in this study showed a small improvement in Tg over the neat epoxy. However, the addition of nanosilica dramatically increased the viscosity of the neat resin in contrast to the addition of wollastonite or POSS. The wollastonite showed no degradation in clarity and did not significantly increase the viscosity of the resin.