TY - JOUR
T1 - Environmental degradation of epoxy-organoclay nanocomposites due to UV exposure
T2 - Part II residual mechanical properties
AU - Woo, Ricky S.C.
AU - Zhu, Honggang
AU - Leung, Christopher K.Y.
AU - Kim, Jang Kyo
N1 - Funding Information:
This project was supported by the Research Grant Council of Hong Kong Special Administration Region (Project Number: HKUST6184/03E). Technical assistance from the Advanced Engineering Materials Facility (AEMF) and the Materials Characterization and Preparation Facilities (MCPF), HKUST is much appreciated.
PY - 2008/7
Y1 - 2008/7
N2 - The residual mechanical properties of epoxy-organoclay nanocomposites after moisture and UV exposure have been evaluated. The flexural modulus decreased after moisture saturation, with much less extent for the nanocomposite than the neat epoxy. The tensile failure strain was significantly reduced with UV exposure time due to the embrittlement effect, and the addition of organoclay mitigated the failure strain reduction. The elastic modulus varied little with UV exposure time regardless of organoclay, because the modulus was determined by the core material which was unaffected by UV exposure. The microhardness and the modulus of the surface material determined from nanoindentation tests increased after UV exposure, with less extent in the nanocomposite than the neat epoxy due to the thinner embrittled top layer for the nanocomposite. All these observations confirmed the beneficial effects of organoclay in improving the barrier characteristics against UV exposure.
AB - The residual mechanical properties of epoxy-organoclay nanocomposites after moisture and UV exposure have been evaluated. The flexural modulus decreased after moisture saturation, with much less extent for the nanocomposite than the neat epoxy. The tensile failure strain was significantly reduced with UV exposure time due to the embrittlement effect, and the addition of organoclay mitigated the failure strain reduction. The elastic modulus varied little with UV exposure time regardless of organoclay, because the modulus was determined by the core material which was unaffected by UV exposure. The microhardness and the modulus of the surface material determined from nanoindentation tests increased after UV exposure, with less extent in the nanocomposite than the neat epoxy due to the thinner embrittled top layer for the nanocomposite. All these observations confirmed the beneficial effects of organoclay in improving the barrier characteristics against UV exposure.
KW - A. Epoxy/clay nanocomposite
KW - A. Nano-structures
KW - A. Polymer-matrix composites (PMCs)
KW - B. Environmental degradation
KW - D. Mechanical properties
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=44149112743&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.compscitech.2008.03.020
DO - 10.1016/j.compscitech.2008.03.020
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:44149112743
SN - 0266-3538
VL - 68
SP - 2149
EP - 2155
JO - Composites Science and Technology
JF - Composites Science and Technology
IS - 9
ER -