RESIN MATRIX NANOCOMPOSITES

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RESIN MATRIX NANOCOMPOSITES

• Key Paper
• February 15, 2002
• Georgina B. Higginbotham
• Dr. Richard Chung Advisor

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OVERVIEW

• INTRODUCTION
• MOTIVATION
• EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH
• EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
• DISCUSSION
• RELEVANCY TO CURRENT PROJECT

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INTRODUCTION

• Nanocomposites is a subset of nanotechnology
• Article with the most significant impact
• Article aided in design parameters of project
• Authors of article
• Chenggang Chen University of Dayton Research
  Institute
• David Curliss-Air Force Laboratory,
  Wright-Patterson Air Force Base

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MOTIVATION

• Two main reasons for conducting research
• To gain further knowledge of aerospace
  epoxy-silicate nanocomposites
• To create a basis for using nanocomposite as a
  matrix

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EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

• Two processing methods used
• Direct Method
• Solvent Method
• Polymer Matrix
• Nine inorganic clays
• Various weight percents of clays

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EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS

• Used wide-angle x-ray diffraction transmission
  electron microscopy to verify exfoliation or
  intercalation of samples
• Used the direct method with weight percents up to
  10
• Used the solvent method with weight percents
  equal or greater than 10 weight percent

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EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS (contd)

• Storage modulus in nanocomposites higher
• Fracture toughness decreases in nanocomposites
• Solvent resistance higher in nanocomposites
• Acetone effective solvent for making the
  nanocomposites
• Compatibility with epoxy

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DISCUSSION

• Too broad a scope-many variables
• Too many inorganic clays studied
• Inconsistency in the weight ratios
• Difficult to interpret data
• Description of applications would enhance
  understanding

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RELEVANCY TO CURRENT PROJECT

• Provided a process that will be used direct
  method
• Indicated thermoset epoxy nanocomposites
  plausible
• Assisted in determining weight percent range
• Narrowed scope of work for project

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THANK YOU !