Abstract
The curing process, wear behavior, and mechanical properties of an epoxy adhesive filled with boron carbide (B4C) were studied. Two different particle sizes and amount of reinforcing B4C were tested. One advantage of using B4C is its ability to absorb neutrons, a property of great importance in the nuclear industry. Gel time and degree of curing were measured to evaluate the effect of adding B4C to the epoxy resin. The chemical structure was studied by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and the B4C distribution was analyzed by laser confocal microscopy. Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analysis (DMTA) tests were also carried out to monitor the viscoelastic properties and the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the cured reinforced epoxy. The wear resistance against alumina was measured using a pin-on-disc test, evaluated as mass loss. The wear tracks were studied by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The bending strength was also studied to assess the degree of interaction between the B4C and the matrix. The results showed that the reinforced epoxy with B4C was very abrasive, wearing the alumina. The reinforced epoxy had excellent mechanical properties that increased with B4C content and with small particles. Moreover, the Tg value decreased slightly upon B4C addition.
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