Mechanical and dynamic mechanical studies of epoxy/VAc-EHA/HMMM IPN-jute composite systems

• Published in: Journal of applied polymer science 2004-01, Vol.91 (2), p.958-963
• Main Authors: Datta, Chandan, Basu, Diya, Roy, Abhishek, Banerjee, Amarnath
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Exact sciences and technology; Physicochemistry of polymers; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Technology of polymers
• ISSN: 0021-8995; 1097-4628
• DOI: 10.1002/app.13295

Epoxy [50:50 mixture of Di‐Glycidyl Ether of Bis‐Phenol A (DGEBA) and Epoxidized Novolac (EPN)] was solution blended with Vinyl Acetate‐2‐ Ethylhexylacrylate (VAc‐EHA) resin in aqueous medium, in varying weight fractions, with Hexamethoxymethylmelamine (HMMM) as a crosslinker and data was compared with a control. The present work was aimed to optimize the tensile strength, dynamic mechanical strength, impact strength, and toughness by preparing a blend followed by jute composites of a semi‐ and full interpenetrating network (IPN). In control experiments epoxy alone was crosslinked (semi‐IPN), whereas the DGEBA‐EPN and VAc‐EHA/HMMM were crosslinked separately (full‐IPN), using jute as the substrate for making composites. Composites of full‐IPN systems of epoxy/VAc‐EHA system had higher moduli and UTS than the semi‐IPN systems. Dynamic mechanical study showed that full‐IPN systems have higher Tg values than semi‐IPN systems. The impact strength increases with increasing proportions of VAc‐EHA copolymer. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 91: 958–963, 2004