Behavior of epoxy resin filled with <scp>nano‐SiO₂</scp> treated with a Eugenol epoxy silane

Abstract

Abstract Harvesting biobased silane coupling agent to enhance the connection between fillers and epoxy matrix is vital to achieve sustainable and environmentally friendly products. In this work, a eugenol based epoxy silane‐coupling agent with high purity was prepared and used for the surface modification of nano‐sized silica particles. The surface structure composition and physical properties of the modified nano‐SiO 2 were characterized through nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transferred infrared spectrometer, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and thermal gravimetric analyzer. An epoxy nanocomposite was subsequently prepared by incorporating the resulting modified nano‐SiO 2 as an enhancing filler. The nanocomposites glass transition temperature, the morphology of fracture surface, dynamic mechanical properties, and thermostability were investigated. Results showed that the eugenol epoxy silane‐coupling agent bearing a long chain structure of benzene ring in the molecular structure could improve the compatibility of silica fillers with epoxy resin and contribute to a better dispersion state in the matrix, thus enhancing the overall performance of epoxy‐cured products.