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The effect of stoichiometry on curing and properties of epoxy–clay nanocomposites

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Abstract

Epoxy–clay nanocomposites have been prepared with an organically modified montmorillonite. The epoxy network was based on diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) cured with diaminodiphenylmethane (DDM). The stoichiometry DGEBA–DDM was varied, the molar ratio of amine hydrogen/epoxy groups, r, ranged from 0.85 to 1.15. The influence of stoichiometry on curing and properties of the nanocomposites was studied using differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis and X-ray diffraction. All nanocomposites had intercalated clay structures. The clays accelerated the curing reaction whose rate was also increased when increasing r. The heat of reaction, −ΔH (J/g epoxy), increased as r increased, reaching a constant value for r ≥ 1. In the presence of clays −ΔH was lower than in the neat DGEBA–DDM. The glass transition temperature (T g) of the neat epoxy thermosets reached a maximum at r = 1; however, the nanocomposites showed the T g maximum at 0.9 < r < 1. The presence of clay lowered the T g for r > 0.94 and raised T g for r ≤ 0.85. The elastic modulus of neat epoxy thermosets reached a maximum in the rubber state and a minimum in the glassy state at r = 1. The nanocomposites showed similar behavior, but the maximum and the minimum values of the elastic modulus were reached at stoichiometry r < 1. The comparison of the properties of neat epoxy with those of the nanocomposites varying the stoichiometry indicates that the clay itself induces stoichiometric changes in the system.

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Acknowledgements

Financial support by Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia of Spain (MAT 2009-11083) and by Universidad Politécnica de Madrid-Investigation Groups Support is acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento Materiales y Producción Aeroespacial, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    M. A. García del Cid, M. G. Prolongo, C. Salom & C. Arribas

  2. Departamento Física y Química Aplicadas a la Técnica Aeronáutica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    M. Sánchez-Cabezudo & R. M. Masegosa

Authors
  1. M. A. García del Cid
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  2. M. G. Prolongo
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  3. C. Salom
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  4. C. Arribas
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  5. M. Sánchez-Cabezudo
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  6. R. M. Masegosa
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Correspondence to M. G. Prolongo.

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García del Cid, M.A., Prolongo, M.G., Salom, C. et al. The effect of stoichiometry on curing and properties of epoxy–clay nanocomposites. J Therm Anal Calorim 108, 741–749 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-012-2215-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-012-2215-8

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