A comparative study between epoxy/Titania micro‐ and nanoparticulate composites thermal and mechanical behavior by means of particle–matrix interphase considerations. Issue 7 (26th July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Papanicolaou, George C.; Kostopoulos, Vassilis; Kontaxis, Lykourgos C.; Kollia, Evgenia; Kotrotsos, Athanasios
• Is Part Of: Polymer engineering & science. Volume 58:Issue 7(2018)
• Page Start: 1146
• Page End: 1154
• Publication Date: 2017-07-26
• Subjects: Polymer engineering -- Periodicals; Polymers -- Periodicals; 668.9
• DOI: 10.1002/pen.24668
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0032-3888

Abstract

Abstract : The aim of the present study is to examine and compare the thermal and mechanical properties of epoxy resin/TiO2 particle microcomposites (0.2 μm) and nanocomposites (21 nm). Composite materials consisting of epoxy resin reinforced with different amounts of TiO2 microparticles (1, 5, 10, 15, and 20% wt) and TiO2 nanoparticles (0.5%, 1%, 3%wt) were prepared. The thermal and mechanical properties of the manufactured composites were investigated and compared through differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and three‐point bending tests (3PB). Lipatov's Theory was then applied on the DSC results, thus leading to the calculation of the particle‐matrix interphase thickness which was correlated to experimental findings. The glass transition temperature ( T g ) of the materials was obtained and the effect of the grain size on the measured T g values was investigated. The data obtained from DSC tests for both micro‐ and nanoinclusions when normalized with respect to the specific surface area of the particles, resulted in a single continuous curve describing the normalized phase transition enthalpy variation with filler weight fraction. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 58:1146–1154, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers