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Scaling‐up of the dispersion process of nanoparticle‐agglomerates in epoxy resin with an innovative continuous ultrasonic flow‐through‐cell dispersion system
Author(s) -
Englert M.,
Bittmann B.,
Haupert F.,
Schlarb A.K.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
polymer engineering and science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.503
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1548-2634
pISSN - 0032-3888
DOI - 10.1002/pen.22051
Subject(s) - materials science , agglomerate , epoxy , dispersion (optics) , composite material , ultrasonic sensor , nanocomposite , nanoparticle , suspension (topology) , particle (ecology) , particle size , thermosetting polymer , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , acoustics , physics , mathematics , oceanography , engineering , homotopy , geology , pure mathematics , optics
Abstract Thermosets reinforced with inorganic nanoparticles show numerous benefits over the unreinforced polymer. However, to achieve reinforcement the nanoparticles have to be well separated and distributed homogeneously within the matrix. In the present study the laboratory scale discontinuous ultrasonic dispersion process was scaled up to a continuous ultrasonic dispersion process of agglomerated nanoparticles in epoxy resin (EP). Exemplarily, the dispersion experiments were carried out for a 4‐l suspension volume consisting of epoxy resin and 14 vol% TiO 2 ‐nanoparticles was carried out as a function of the dispersion time and the amplitude of the ultrasonic cell. Following, nanocomposites were manufactured with particle contents of 2, 5, and 10 vol%. For the verification of the manufactured nanocomposites quality, particle sizes analysis and mechanical characterization were undertaken. The obtained results were compared with those of the discontinuous dispersion at laboratory scale. It has been found that comparable particle sizes and mechanical properties could be achieved, although, the volume of the suspension was 10 times higher as that one of the batchwise dispersion. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2012. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers