High‐performance flexible epoxy/ZnO nanocomposites with enhanced mechanical and thermal properties

Abstract

Flexible epoxy/ZnO nanocomposites were prepared using different loadings of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) and nanotubes (NTs) via in situ curing of epoxy with polyoxyethylene diamines (ED 600 ). ZnO precursor was synthesized via precipitation method and ZnO NPs with an average size of 25 nm were used in the preparation of the nanocomposites. ZnO NTs with an average outer diameter, length of 200 nm and 2.4 µm respectively, were prepared by the wet method (hydrothermal method). The morphology, structure, and composition of the nanocomposites were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), and thermo‐gravimetric analysis (TGA). The effect of morphology and content of nano‐ZnO materials on the thermal and mechanical properties of flexible epoxy was studied. In addition, the hardness and indentation depth were calculated by means of nanoindentation. Results showed that the mechanical and thermal properties of flexible epoxy were enhanced by incorporation of ZnO nanostructure into the polymer matrix. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 57:932–946, 2017. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers