Electrical characteristics of nickel/epoxy - Unsaturated polyester blend nanocomposites

Abstract

Electrical characteristics of epoxy – unsaturated polyester (EP – UPE) composites reinforced with Nickel nanoparticles were investigated in terms of alternative current (A.C) subject to changes in different Nickel volume fraction. Hand lay - up technique was used to prepare the composites as well as blend specimens using flash molds at standard conditions. Epoxy resin - unsaturated polyester resin (80 – 20) Vol. % is the blend composition selected for investigation. The epoxy resin and unsaturated polyester resin were added together and thoroughly prepared mixed to obtain the polymer blend required; the Nickel nanoparticle were then added in volume fraction (1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, and 5%). The mixture is casting in Teflon mold and finally left overnight at room temperature for complete curing. The results show the electrical properties for Ni / (EP – UPE) nanocomposites, conductivity increases with increasing frequency, conductivity increases with increasing Nickel volume fraction, and it has a maximum value of (2.41x10-9 (ohm.cm)-1) at frequency (15MHz) for (5% Ni). We note that at increasing the frequency, all of the dielectric constant (έ) and loss (ἕ), dissipation factor tanδ and capacitance will be decreased. Information’s of measurements for A.C electrical properties could be beneficial as capacitors to energy storage in the laser systems.