Thermal and mechanical properties of electrospun nano-celullose reinforced epoxy nanocomposites

Abstract

Although thermoset polymers have been widely used for engineering components, adhesives and matrix for fiber-reinforced composites, due to their good mechanical properties compared to those of thermoplastic polymers, they are usually brittle and vulnerable to cracking. Therefore, ductile materials such as micro-sized rubber or nylon particles added to thermoset polymers are used to increase their fracture toughness, which might decrease their strength if micro-sized particles act like defects. In this work, in order to improve the fracture toughness of epoxy matrix, nano-cellulose with diameter 250 nm produced via electrospinning was used as filler in epoxy matrix. The effect of different contents of electrospun nano-cellulose from cellulose acetate (ECA) on the morphology and thermo-mechanical properties of the prepared nanocomposites was examined. The pronounced effect of the presence of ECA in the matrix is reflected by the increase of flexural strength and flexural modulus by ∼20 and ∼17%, respectively. The results showed that addition of ECA enhanced mechanical and thermal properties as well as fracture resistance of nanocomposites compared to those without ECA.