Premium
The impact of water released from boehmite nanoparticles during curing in epoxy‐based nanocomposites
Author(s) -
Waniek Tassilo,
Braun Ulrike,
Silbernagl Dorothee,
Sturm Heinz
Publication year - 2021
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/app.51006
Subject(s) - epoxy , boehmite , curing (chemistry) , nanocomposite , materials science , polymer , nanoparticle , chemical engineering , glass transition , composite material , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , thermosetting polymer , nanotechnology , aluminium , engineering
The enhancing effect on mechanical properties of boehmite (γ‐AlOOH) nanoparticles (BNP) in epoxy‐based nanocomposites on the macroscopic scale encouraged recent research to investigate the micro‐ and nanoscopic properties. Several studies presented different aspects relatable to an alteration of the epoxy polymer network formation by the BNP with need for further experiments to identify the mode of action. With FTIR‐spectroscopic methods this study identifies interactions of the BNP with the epoxy polymer matrix during the curing process as well as in the cured nanocomposite. The data reveals that not the BNP themselves, but the water released from them strongly influences the curing process by hydrolysis of the anhydride hardener or protonation of the amine accelerator. The changes of the curing processes are discussed in detail. The changes of the curing processes enable new explanation for the changed material properties by BNP discussed in recent research like a lowered glass transition temperature region ( T g ) and an interphase formation.