Thermal properties of epoxy nanoclay composite materials

Abstract

Composite materials are an emerging topic for research as a new competitive material in engineering. New classes of composite material manufactured from particles, nanoparticles and resins, and have experienced efficient and economical for the development and also replacement of new as well as deteriorating structures. In this study epoxy-nanoclay composite materials with varying compositions of nanoclay compared with pure epoxy and epoxy with 10, 20, and 30 by weight fraction of nanoclay are prepared for better insulating materials. The various thermal properties of the material were analyzed to demonstrate that the the prepared composite is a good insulator. An increase in specific heat maximum by 11.26%, thermal stability by 58.82% results in decrease in thermal conductivity maximum by 25.65%, diffusivity to 46.8% and also co-efficient of thermal expansion with an increase in nanoclay proportion is observed. DSC, TGA and TMA are used for determining the thermal properties. SEM and EDS analysis were used to show homogeneous mixture of epoxy and nanoclay.