Epoxy-Layered Silicate and Epoxy MWCNTs Nanocomposites

Abstract

The paper deals with the rheological properties of epoxy resin additivated with organically modified montmorillonites, carbon nanotubes and nanocarbon. The paper also presents the influence of nanoadditives over composites mechanical properties. The epoxy polymer is diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) and the curing agent is an aliphatic tetraamine. Organically modified montmorillonites Cloisite 30B and Cloisite 93A, MWCNTs and laser synthesized nanocarbon were used to synthesize nanocomposites by dispersing each in an epoxy resin. The dispersion was achieved through mechanical and sonic methods. The epoxy resin additivated with nanosized fillers was rheologically tested to study the dispersion influence. The sonic dispersion of nanoadditives is observed to drastically influence the rheological behavior of the suspensions. Newtonian fluid behavior disappears as the additive loading increases. The work mentions the influence of nanoadditives on the manufacturing process of epoxy /glass fibre and epoxy/ carbon fibre laminated composites.