Enhancement of strength and stiffness of epoxy-based composites using nanoparticle infusion and high magnetic fields

• Published in: Materials letters 2007-05, Vol.61 (11), p.2535-2539
• Main Authors: Mahfuz, Hassan, Zainuddin, Shaik, Parker, Martin R., Al-Saadi, Tariq, Rangari, Vijaya K., Jeelani, Shaik
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Mechanical properties; Nanocomposites; Polymers
• ISSN: 0167-577X; 1873-4979
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2006.09.065

The effects of high magnetic fields in the bulk physical properties of polymers during the curing phase have been known for some considerable time. It has also long been realized that polymer-based composites containing low-percentage nanoparticle dispersions have attractive mechanical characteristics such as enhanced strength and stiffness. This paper describes, for the first time, the significant improvements in those mechanical properties when epoxy-based nanocomposites are cured in high uniform magnetic fields. In our experiments, quasi-static compression results showed strength and stiffness increase, respectively, by 98% and 114% compared to neat epoxy control system under zero magnetic field. Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) under flexural loading has also shown an increase in storage modulus and glass transition temperature by around 300 MPa and 12 °C, respectively. Similar was the trend with thermal decomposition temperatures determined in the thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA).