Abstract
The capability of Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) to characterize composite material interfaces can help in the design of new carbon-based nanocomposites by providing useful information on the structure–property relationship. In this paper, the potentiality of AFM is explored to investigate the dispersion and the morphological features of aeronautical epoxy resins loaded with several carbon nanostructured fillers. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermal investigations of the formulated samples have also been performed. The FTIR results show that, among the examined nanoparticles, exfoliated graphite (EG) with a predominantly two-dimensional (2D) shape favors the hardening process of the epoxy matrix, increasing its reaction rate. As evidenced by the FTIR signal related to the epoxy stretching frequency (907 cm−1), the accelerating effect of the EG sample increases as the filler concentration increases. This effect, already observable for curing treatment of 60 min conducted at the low temperature of 125 °C, suggests a very fast opening of epoxy groups at the beginning of the cross-linking process. For all the analyzed samples, the percentage of the curing degree (DC) goes beyond 90%, reaching up to 100% for the EG-based nanocomposites. Besides, the addition of the exfoliated graphite enhances the thermostability of the samples up to about 370 °C, even in the case of very low EG percentages (0.05% by weight).
Highlights
Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is one of the most powerful characterization techniques for morphological and structural analysis of polymeric nanocomposites thanks to its ability to produce three-dimensional (3D) topographic images with a resolution in the order of nanometers [1,2]
Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis confirms the effectiveness of the butanedioldiglycidyl ether (BDE) (B) in determining an improvement in the FTIR spectra of neat and nanocomposite curing degree ofx epoxy nanocomposites
FTIR analysis confirms the effectiveness of the BDE (B) in determining an improvement in the curing degree of epoxy nanocomposites [19]
Summary
Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is one of the most powerful characterization techniques for morphological and structural analysis of polymeric nanocomposites thanks to its ability to produce three-dimensional (3D) topographic images with a resolution in the order of nanometers [1,2]. In aeronautical and aerospace fields, the continuous and pressing request for high performance materials combining facile manufacturing process and superior mechanical and thermal properties have stimulated the research in different ways [13] From this point of view, high performance fiber composites characterized by epoxy-based matrices with very high glass transition temperature and impressive thermal and chemical resistance have demonstrated compelling prospectives [14]. AFM morphological investigation, as well as FTIR ad DSC tests, demonstrate that the good levels of carbon nanofiller dispersion into the epoxy mixture improve the properties of the nanocomposites, and affect the curing process
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