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Effect of water sorption on the structure and mechanical properties of an epoxy resin system
Author(s) -
Nogueira P.,
Ramírez C.,
Torres A.,
Abad M. J.,
Cano J.,
López J.,
LópezBueno I.,
Barral L.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/1097-4628(20010404)80:1<71::aid-app1077>3.0.co;2-h
Subject(s) - sorption , epoxy , materials science , ultimate tensile strength , composite material , microstructure , viscoelasticity , diffusion , dynamic mechanical analysis , polymer , polymer chemistry , chemistry , organic chemistry , thermodynamics , adsorption , physics
The characteristics of sorption and diffusion of water in an amine‐cured epoxy system based on tetraglycidyl diaminodiphenylmethane and a novolac glycidyl ether resin were studied as a function both of the polymer microstructure, known from previous works, and the temperature. Water‐sorption experiments and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) were performed. Tensile stress–strain and Rockwell hardness tests were conducted to investigate the effects of absorbed water on the mechanical properties of the material. Competing effects of the sorption of water in the free volume and of strong interactions between water molecules and polar groups of the network were used to explain the diffusional behavior observed, which followed Fick's second law. DMA analysis seemed to be sensitive to the water effects and the viscoelastic behavior was related both to the water‐sorption processes and to the microstructure of the system. An important impact of water uptake on the tensile properties at break was also appreciated. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 80: 71–80, 2001