Abstract
This work aims to enhance acoustic and thermal insulation properties for polymeric composite by adding nanoclay and rock wool as reinforcement materials with different rations. A polymer blend of (epoxy+ polyester) as matrix materials was used. The Hand lay-up technique was used to manufacture the castings. Epoxy and polyester were mixed at different weight ratios involving (50:50, 60:40, 70:30, 80:20, and 90:10) wt. % of (epoxy: polyester) wt. % respectively. Impact tests for optimum sample (OMR), caustic and thermal insulation tests were performed. Nano clay (Kaolinite) with ratios ( 5 and 7.5% ) wt.% , also hybrid reinforcement materials involving (Kaolite 5 & 7.5 % wt.% + 10% volume fraction of rockwool ) were added as reinforcement materials to the optimum sample. Results of impact test prove that the optimum sample has (80:20) wt. % of mixing ratio of (epoxy: polyester) wt. % for using as matrix materials. Moreover, the adding of nanoclay (Kaolinite) with ratio (7.5 wt.%) leads to the highest sound insulation. The sound intensity started at (99.8) db at 100 Hz, and reached to (101.3) db at 10000 Hz., which is much lower than the values obtained from the un-reinforced blend, of which the sound intensity started at (107.2) db and reached to (108.7) db., at the same range of frequencies. Thermal conductivity results show that the optimum matrix with (7.5 %) wt. % has the lowest value about (0.443 k.w\m .c).
 The results show that the blend reinforced with nano clay in a weight fraction (7.5)% has the best sound insulation, so that the sound intensity started at (99.8) db at 100 Hz., and reached (101.3) db at 10000 Hz., which is much lower than the values obtained from the unreinforced blend, of which the sound intensity started at (107.2) db and reached (108.7) db., applying the same range of frequencies. The same casting (blend+7.5% nanoclay) showed the lowest value of thermal conductivity (xxxx) W.m°C in comparison with castings that were made of unreinforced blend and those hybridized with rockwool.
Highlights
Nano composites development is an innovative approach to the manufacturing of composite materials without changing polymer composition
Thermal conductivity for blend is 0.567 k (w\m .c).with addition of nanoclay in the rate of 5% weight fraction a slight increase occurred in the thermal conductivity with ratio 2%. by increasing addition ratio of nanoclay particles up to 7.5% weight fraction, thermal conductivity is reduced significantly from 0.589 to 0.443 k(w\m .c) the highest result of insulation was more than that showed in the work of researcher SHEN, Chaoxuan, et al[8]
When rock wool is added to the volume fraction 10% and nanoclay with weight fraction 5% to the blend as reinforcement, thermal conductivity drops to about 4.8% of its original value
Summary
Nano composites development is an innovative approach to the manufacturing of composite materials without changing polymer composition. Polymers generally have low intrinsic thermal conductivity when compared to metals and ceramics, making them ideal for use in the manufacture of heat and sound insulators, and foamed polymers have been used in this field for decades. Even in high technology applications, like encapsulation and electronic packaging, satellites, polymers have been used in insulation, since they combine low conductivity together with light weight and low thermal expansion. This technology has been enhanced using the concept of composite materials, where fillers are added to polymers to gain further properties, usually not obtainable by polymers alone. This technology has been enhanced using the concept of composite materials, where fillers are added to polymers to gain further properties, usually not obtainable by polymers alone. [3]
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