Effect of organo-Montmorillonite dispersion on properties of epoxy resin nanocomposites

Montmorillonite modified with alkyl ammonium ions was dispersed in an epoxy/methyl nadic anhydride systems to form epoxy/organo-montmorillonite (oMMT) nanocomposites. Different systems of epoxy montmorillonite nanocomposites materials were prepared by mixing at different temperature before curing. These systems were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electric microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The results of XRD illustrated that montmorillonite was exfoliated and independent upon the mixing temperature. AFM image showed a uniform dispersion of montmorillonite in the resulting nanocomposites. The results of impact and heat distortion temperature test showed that mixing temperature effected the impact and thermal properties and showed a maximum at 90degC. Compared with pristine epoxy, the impact strength and distortion temperature of the nanocomposites as prepared by mixing at 90degC before curing was simultaneously improved, 31.6% and 14degC, respectively. Morphology of fracture face of the epoxy nanocomposites was investigated by means of SEM imagines. The toughening mechanisms was also analyzed and speculated.