Assessment of nanoclay filled epoxy on mechanical, thermal and chemical resistance properties of nanocomposites

Abstract

Clay/epoxy nanocomposites are synthesized by high shear mechanical mixer followed by ultra-sonicator is used to obtain the homogeneous mixture of epoxy and clay under the aid of in-situ polymerization. Compression, impact, hardness, frictional coefficient and chemical resistance properties of the nanocomposites are studied to assess the influence of surface modified clay filled with epoxy as a function of clay. It is observed that all the properties are increased with increasing clay content up to 5 wt. % clay, decreased further increasing in clay content. Mechanical properties are optimally increased at 5 wt. % clay and yet results are compared with neat epoxy matrix. The system is processed by hand-lay up technique for making the test specimens. Fractured surfaces are tested by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) unearths reasons for the significant improvements. In Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), 6°C rise in decomposition temperature is found. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results showed that the modified clay particles affected the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the nanocomposites.