The epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) was prepared via in situ epoxidation reaction to contain 50 mol% epoxide groups (ENR 50). The fraction of ENR 50 in the blends was 0, 3, 5, 7, and 10 parts per hundred (phr) relative to the epoxy resin. Also, the silica nanoparticle content of epoxy resin was tested for 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 phr. The results show that the impact strength of epoxy resin can be improved by blending in ENR 50 mixed with nanosilica, relative to the baseline epoxy and epoxy resin mixed with epoxide. The optimal ENR 50 content of the composite was 3 phr. Also, the impact and tensile strength of the nanocomposite containing 3 phr nanosilica were improved. In addition, the tear strength of the nanocomposite slightly decreased with the addition of nanofiller. The mechanical properties were assessed relative to morphology from SEM micrographs. In epoxy resin blends with ENR 50, nanosilica can improve the impact strength required in unmanned aerial vehicles propeller applications.
Performance of new engineered material from epoxy resins with modified epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) and nanofillers were investigated. ENR from renewable natural crop resources is a type of green material with potential to partially substitute or replace and toughen petrochemical-based polymers. Nanocomposites (epoxy resin/ENR/fillers nanoparticles) were characterized with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), dynamic light scattering (DLS), atomic force microscope (AFM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Comparison of characterized and mechanical properties of nanofiller reinforced with both nanocellulose and nanosilica were studied. The nanocomposites were characterized for their mechanical properties (e.g., impact strength, tensile strength) and thermal degradation behaviour by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). Mechanical property investigation results show that, the impact strength of nanocomposites, can be improved by blending in ENR 50 mixed with nanofiller, relative to the baseline nanocomposite mixers. The nanofiller loading in epoxy composite showed the highest improvement in mechanical properties at 0.75 phr (parts per hundred of resin). Effects of accelerated weathering aging were evaluated, and the observed changes were larger with nanosilica than with nanocellulose filler. Here, the accelerated aging increase in tensile properties was found to be 10% after 14 days in both nanofillers, while the other mechanical properties did not change significantly. These nanocomposites are expected to have high wear rates limiting their service life.
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