A study of the mechanical and permeability properties of nano-and micron-TiO2, filled epoxy composites

Abstract

Polymer nanocomposites consisting of 32 nm diameter TiO2, nanoparticles and epoxy resin were ultrasonically processed and the mechanical and permeability properties of the resulting composites were compared to composites containing 0.24 μm TiO2 particles and to neat resin. It was found that the nanocomposites with well-dispersed nanoparticles at 10 wt% loading exhibited a unique combination of properties showing increases in both scratch resistance and modulus, as well as gains in strain-to-failure and swelling resistance, while maintaining toughness. The micron filled composites showed no increase in scratch resistance and a decrease in strain-to-failure relative to the neat resin.