Mechanical responses of epoxy/cloisite nanocomposites

Polymeric nanocomposites based on nanoclay are extensively utilized in various structural applications. In this work, the effect of organically modified nanoclay (cloisite 20A) on the chain confinement, mechanics, structure, and thermal properties of epoxy resin cured with diamino diphenyl sulphone (DDS) was analysed. The viscoelastic properties were analysed by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The stiffness parameter and the peak parameters from loss modulus and tan δ indicate effective adhesion of nanoclay with the polymer matrix. The filler-matrix confinement has created a constrained zone around the polymer-matrix interface resulting in the immobilization of polymer chains near the fillers. The chain confinement was determined from tan δ curve. The heterogeneity of the cloisite 20A/epoxy nanocomposites was analysed by Cole-Cole plots. Fine dispersion of cloisite 20A was achieved by intercalation of nanoclay as observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Finally, the thermal properties of the nanocomposites were analysed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).