Abstract:

Fast-cure epoxy resin systems allow being manufacturing of composite parts in minutes. However, the brittle nature of the polymer limits its usage due to crack initiation and growth. Nanofillers are widely used to enhance the epoxy resin’s mechanical performance. However, final mechanical properties are typically governed by the process parameters, including curing temperature and time therefore, the curing behavior of nano-integrated composites should also be characterized. Thermally exfoliated graphene oxide (TEGO) has a significant influence on the mechanical properties of the polymer matrix, even at low percentages. This study introduced TEGO into the fast cure epoxy resin system, and the cure kinetics was analyzed using dynamic differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). TEGO modification increased the curing time, but the system still maintains fast cure properties. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) illustrated that the glass transition temperature (Tg) of TEGO-fast cure epoxy nanocomposite increased by 10°C. Moreover, flexural tests revealed that flexural stress was increased by 12.85% with even a low percentage of TEGO addition. Fracture surfaces were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, and toughening mechanisms were addressed

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