Liquid-rubber-modified epoxy/clay nanocomposites: effect of dispersion methods on morphology and ultimate properties

• Published in: Polymer Bulletin
• Main Author: Vijayan P.P.; Puglia D.; Pionteck J.; Kenny J.M.; Thomas S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Springer Verlag 2015
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84930760262&doi=10.1007%2fs00289-015-1365-9&partnerID=40&md5=963f15109cd612aa5d533775b6397584

Epoxy/clay nanocomposites modified with carboxyl-terminated poly(butadiene-co-acrylonitrile) (CTBN) liquid rubber (epoxy/clay/CTBN nanocomposites) are synthesized using two different pre-mixing techniques: mechanical high shear mixer (homogenizer) and ultrasonication using tip sonicator. The observations suggest that low molecular weight CTBN easily diffuses into clay galleries, thereby increasing the d-spacing in epoxy/clay/CTBN nanocomposites, regardless of pre-mixing method. High shear mixing causes breaking of clay platelets in epoxy/clay/CTBN nanocomposites, leading to a reduction in the aspect ratio. Epoxy/clay/CTBN nanocomposites prepared via sonication have achieved a uniform and stable morphology, in which the clay platelets are dispersed in epoxy matrix in such a way that most of them try to localize near the phase-separated CTBN domains. Thermal and mechanical properties of the resulting nanocomposites are correlated with morphological findings. © 2015, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.