EXPLORING COMPRESSIVE AND TENSILE PROPERTIES OF HYBRID CARBON BLACK–SILICA NANOFILLER-REINFORCED EPOXY NANOCOMPOSITE
Carbon black (CB) has a relatively large surface area which leads to large interaction sites leading to efficient load transfer between the reinforcing CB nanoparticles and the epoxy matrix. This expected performance has not been obtained due to the difficulty of dispersing CB nanoparticles in epoxy matrix. The proper dispersion of CB in epoxy is crucial to achieving a good epoxy-CB nanocomposite; Lack of proper dispersion can result in reduced matrix-filler interaction and lack of dominant interfacial surrounding around the nanoparticle which must be overcome to produce an epoxy nanocomposite sensor with acceptable mechanicalThis study investigates the compressive and tensile properties of epoxy nanocomposites reinforced with hybrid carbon black (CB) and silica nanofillers (Si). By systematically exploring the effects of CB weight fraction, silica weight fraction, mixing speed, mixing time, and the state of CB nanoparticles (as received, thermally treated, and thermally and chemically treated), this research aims to enhance the mechanical performance of these advanced materials. The nanocomposites were fabricated using Epox Amite 100 epoxy resin, VULCAN® XC72 carbon black, and silica nanoparticles with diameters of 10-25 nm. The optimal processing parameters were determined using response surface methodology (RSM) with a Box-Behnken design, encompassing 87 experimental runs. Statistical analysis revealed that the compressive strength of the nanocomposites improved significantly with the thermal-chemical treatment of CB nanoparticles, achieving a maximum compressive strength of 118 MPa at 5% CB-M and 20% silica content. Similarly, the tensile strength showed a marked enhancement, with the highest tensile strength recorded at 83.51MPa for the same hybrid filler combination. The results demonstrated that the interaction between the CB and silica nanofillers, along with the appropriate treatment of CB nanoparticles, led to superior mechanical properties. The quadratic regression models for compressive and tensile strengths exhibited high R-square values of 0.90 and 0.86, respectively, indicating good fits with the experimental data. These findings underscore the potential of hybrid CB-silica nanofillers in developing high-performance epoxy nanocomposites, suitable for applications in automotive, aerospace, civil engineering, and electronics. The study contributes valuable insights into the design and optimization of nanocomposite materials, emphasizing the importance of nanofiller treatment and synergistic effects in achieving enhanced mechanical performance.
Authors : Joshua, R.M.
Category : Open Access Volume (Issue) : 10(2) Date Uploaded : 7th July 2024