In this study, the reinforcing effect of organically modified layered clay in two epoxy matrices, TETA-cured and F205-cured, was studied. The epoxy resin system is made of a diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A, Epon 828, as the epoxy prepolymer and the two hardeners were Epikure 3234, namely TETA, and Epikure F205. The organically modified clay, Closite 30B, is dispersed into the epoxy system in a 0%, 1.5%, 3% and 5% ratio in weight with respect to the matrix. The state of dispersion was characterized by X-ray diffraction method. In both systems of epoxy resin, the results of XRD show that the clay has been further intercalated by the epoxy matrix. The tensile and flexural properties of the epoxy/clay nanocomposites were investigated according to the standard tests. The results of mechanical tests indicate that the mechanical behavior of two epoxy resin systems reinforced with clay nanoparticles, are different from each other, so that adding clay into the epoxy matrices makes the TETA-cured nanocomposites more brittle and the others cured with F205 more soften. By comparing the results of two epoxy resin systems reinforced with clay nanoparticles, it is concluded that positive effect of presence of the clay nanoparticles is evident on the mechanical properties of the F205-cured epoxy resin.

Keywords: Nanocomposite, Clay nanoparticles, Mechanical Properties, Epikure TETA, Epikure F205

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