Effect of elevated in-service temperature on the mechanical properties and microstructure of particulate-filled epoxy polymers

Publication date: Available online 4 October 2019Source: Polymer Degradation and StabilityAuthor(s): Mojdeh Mehrinejad Khotbehsara, Allan Manalo, Thiru Aravinthan, Kakarla Raghava Reddy, Wahid Ferdous, Hong Wong, Ali NazariAbstractIn civil engineering applications, epoxy-based polymers are subject to different environmental conditions including in-service temperature, which might accelerate their degradation and limit their application ranges. Recently, different particulate fillers were introduced to enhance the mechanical properties and reduce the cost of epoxy-based polymers. This paper addresses the effect of in-service elevated temperature (from room temperature to 80 °C) in particulate-filled epoxy based resin containing up to 60% by volume of fire retardant and fly ash fillers through a deep understanding of the microstructure and analysis of their mechanistic response. An improvement in the retention of mechanical properties at in-service elevated temperature was achieved by increasing the percentages of fillers. The retention of compressive and split tensile strength at 80 °C for the mix containing 60% fillers was 72% and 52%, respectively, which was significantly higher than the neat epoxy. Thermo-dynamic analysis showed an increase in glass transition temperature with the inclusion of fillers, while these mixes also experienced less weight loss compared to neat epoxy, indicating better thermal stability. Scanning electron microscopy images showed the formatio...
Source: Polymer Degradation and Stability - Category: Chemistry Source Type: research