Judicious surface design of a nanofiller
is pertinent to exploit
its reinforcing competency in polymer composites. Herein, sodium dodecyl
sulfate intercalated layered double hydroxide (LDH) was functionalized
using 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES), which was then dispersed
in the epoxy matrix. The grafting of APTES on the LDH surface was
confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction,
and thermogravimetric analysis. The robustness of the interface reflected
the significant improvement of ∼104 and 90% in flexural strength
and modulus at 0.25 wt % loading, while the tensile strength and Young̀s
modulus were found to increase by ∼44 and 50.8%, respectively.
The tangible improvement in interfacial interaction due to the functionlization
was further reflected in the enhanced storage modulus and glass transition
temperature, T
g, by ∼36% and ∼6
°C, respectively, at 0.25 wt % loading. A rheological study confirmed
the Newtonian behavior of the composites in the shear rate range of
0.1–100 s–1.