Abstract
In the present work, a low-density polyethylene (LDPE) composite, filled with Zn-ion coated structural silica encapsulated with the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA), was synthesized using the conventional melt-blending technique in a sigma internal mixer. The catalytic activity of the Zn-ions (originating from the structural silica) towards the oxirane group (diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA): encapsulating agent) was assessed by infrared spectroscopy. Two composites, each with a filler content of 2.5 wt% were developed. The first one was obtained by melt blending the Zn-ion coated structural silica with LDPE in a co-rotating sigma internal mixer. The second one was obtained by melt blending the same LDPE, but with DGEBA encapsulated Zn-ion coated structural silica. Epoxy resin encapsulation of the Zn-ion coated structural silica resulted in its having good interfacial adhesion and a homogeneous dispersion in the polymer matrix. Furthermore, the encapsulation of epoxy resin over the Zn-ion coated structural silica showed improvements in both the mechanical and thermal properties, viz. a 33% increase in the elastic modulus and a rise in the onset degradation temperature from 355 to 371 °C, in comparison to the Zn-ion coated structural silica.
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