Abstract
An effective approach to the fabrication of progressive epoxy nanocomposites by the incorporation of hydroxyl-terminated dendrimers functionalized graphene oxide (GO-TCT-Tris) is reported. The relationship between surface grafting, chemical construction, morphology, dispersion, and interfacial interaction as well as the corresponding mechanical properties of the composites were studied in detail. It was shown that hydroxyl-terminated triazine derivatives have been resoundingly bonded onto the GO surface through covalent bonding, which effectively improved the dispersion and compatibility of GO sheets in epoxy resin. The tensile and flexural tests manifested that the GO-TCT-Tris/epoxy composites exhibited greater tensile/flexural strength and modulus than either the pure epoxy or the GO/epoxy composites. For GO-TCT-Tris (0.10 wt%)/epoxy composite, the tensile strength and elastic modulus increased from 63 ± 4 to 89 ± 6 MPa (41.27%) and from 2.8 ± 0.1 to 3.6 ± 0.2 GPa (28.57%), and the flexural strength and modulus increased from 106 ± 5 to 158 ± 6 MPa (49.06%) and from 3.0 ± 0.1 to 3.5 ± 0.2 GPa (16.67%), respectively, compared to the pure epoxy matrix. Moreover, the fractographic analysis also illustrated the ameliorative interfacial interaction between GO-TCT-Tris and epoxy matrix.
Highlights
Epoxy resins are typical thermoset plastic with eminent mechanical properties, chemical stability, corrosion resistance, and insulation behavior that can be extensively used in various applications, such as adhesives, coatings, electronic packaging, and the automotive and the aerospace industry [1,2]
The surface groups on the surface of functionalized graphene oxide (GO) sheets were measured by FTIR, as shown
The N1s spectra of GO-TCT-Tris showed a new peak at ~399.5 eV, corresponding to the binding energy of the secondary amine (C-NH) [33]. These results provided evidence for the successful grafting of TCT and Tris onto the GO surface
Summary
Epoxy resins are typical thermoset plastic with eminent mechanical properties, chemical stability, corrosion resistance, and insulation behavior that can be extensively used in various applications, such as adhesives, coatings, electronic packaging, and the automotive and the aerospace industry [1,2].the intrinsic brittle nature and inferior crack resistance caused by its highly cross-linked structure limit their usefulness as mechanical components [3,4]. Epoxy resins are typical thermoset plastic with eminent mechanical properties, chemical stability, corrosion resistance, and insulation behavior that can be extensively used in various applications, such as adhesives, coatings, electronic packaging, and the automotive and the aerospace industry [1,2]. Graphene and graphene oxide (GO), a novel two-dimensional nanomaterial, has given rise to considerable theoretical and technological researches on polymer composites due to its fantastic and unparalleled physical properties, including a high specific surface area, high fracture strength, elastic modulus, and thermal conductivity [8,9]. It has become an invaluable nanomaterial for polymer reinforcement. GO sheets have low compatibility with most polymers and are inclined to Polymers 2019, 11, 1866; doi:10.3390/polym11111866 www.mdpi.com/journal/polymers
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