Effect of Hybrid Fillers on the Bandgap Energy of Glass Epoxy Composites

Abstract

Polymer composites are used increasingly in industrial applications due to their outstanding electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties. There is a vast literature on the advantages and limitations of nano and micro fillers and the effects of fillers on different properties of the polymers are reasonably understood. However, such information on the effects of a hybrid combination of nano and micron fillers is limited. In this investigation, the effect of hybrid fillers has been investigated in terms of the microstructure, optical absorption and electrical properties namely dielectric constant, AC conductivity and AC breakdown strength. Though different fillers are used, the bandgap energy varies over a narrow range of 2.5–3.2 eV. The hybrid fillers tend to influence the crystallinity and impart divergent optical absorbance spectra. The dielectric properties reveal dependence on the nature of the fillers and there are marked differences between the effects of conductive and insulating fillers, while the same is not observed in the case of the optical absorption spectra.