An investigation was carried out on the room temperature ageing of off-stoichiometric DGEBA/TETA epoxy formulations. The results obtained show that the epoxy rich mixtures have their inherent brittleness increased by the ageing treatment due to recrystalization of the unreacted epoxy monomers, although homopolymerization could also play a minor role. The initial reaction steps dominated by the amine addition reactions control the macromolecular structure and the mechanical performance of the stoichiometric and near stoichiometric formulation with excess of epoxy monomer. Plasticization due to absorbed -OH results on a significant increase of the deformability of these formulations. The amine rich mixtures have the more stable structures, although plasticization due to moisture absorption from the surrounding environment also produces an increase on the deformability of all, but one, of the formulations investigated. keywords: epoxy resins, ageing, mechanical propertiesoff-stoichiometric mixtures. For the particular system made of the triethylene tetramine, TETA, hardener and the DGEBA monomer the variation of the hardener to monomer ratio promotes strong changes on the mechanical behavior [18][19][20][21] . Of particular interest with respect to these changes is the very sharp increase in the impact strength, when amine rich mixtures were used 21 . The problem of working with off-stoichiometric mixtures is that latent reaction sites could remain on the macromolecular structure developed and under the proper conditions the structure can evolve, resulting in changes on the mechanical performance of the material. Temperature is clearly one external parameter that could cause changes to the system, but, even at room temperature, ageing due to exposure of the epoxy resin to humid environments could also be important [22][23][24] . The changes observed on the mechanical properties when the epoxy monomer to hardener ratio is varied, and the possible changes due to aging, are a direct consequence of the different macromolecular structures that are developed and/or the possible reactions that could occur given a

Diamond filled polymeric matrix composites are an attractive issue for wear resistant tools. The performance of these composites depends on the proper association of the hard diamond particles and the soft polymeric matrix. In the present work, the tensile strength of epoxy matrix composites filled with 10, 20, and 30 wt% diamond particles was investigated. The effect of matrix deformability, by changing the epoxy monomer to hardener ratio, on the mechanical performance of the composites was also evaluated. The results showed that the strength of the composite decreases with the amount of diamond. This behavior was attributed to the development of a weak diamond/epoxy interface, as quantitatively described by the interaction parameter of the Turcsanyi model, and qualitatively corroborated by the analysis of the fracture surfaces and by the variation of tan of the composites. The best tensile behavior was obtained when the amine rich, off-stoichiometric matrix was used.

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Foram estudadas as propriedades mecânicas dos compósitos com partículas dispersas de diamante em matriz de resina epóxi curada com diferentes proporções de endurecedor caracterizadas pela razão resina/endurecedor. Investigou-se também o comportamento termomecânico através de ensaios de DMA (Análise Dinâmico-Mecânica). No presente trabalho foi feita uma completa avaliação das propriedades mecânicas e termomecânicas no amplo intervalo de razão resina/endurecedor associado a possíveis aplicações tecnológicas. Foram fabricados compósitos com até 30% em peso de partículas de diamante dispersas em matriz epóxi do tipo DGEBA/TETA com diferentes razões resina/endurecedor, variando de 7 a 21. Para todas as condições investigadas a resistência diminuiu com a quantidade incorporada de diamante. Para matrizes com razão resina/endurecedor acima do estequiométrico 13, os compósitos apresentaram melhor desempenho mecânico. Os resultados dos ensaios termomecânicos mostraram que o módulo de armazenamento dos compósitos aumenta com a quantidade incorporada de diamante. Através da tangente delta foi possível avaliar prováveis mecanismos que contribuem para o desempenho termomecânico destes compósitos.

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