Microwave processing of SiC nanoparticles infused polymer composites: Comparison of thermal and mechanical properties |
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| Authors: | Md. Reza‐E‐ Rabby Shaik Jeelani Vijaya K. Rangari |
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| Affiliation: | Department of Material Science and Engineering, Tuskegee University, Alabama |
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| Abstract: | The goal of this study is to compare thermal and mechanical properties of an epoxy resin system reinforced with SiC nanoparticles using both conventional thermal curing and microwave irradiation techniques. The microwave curing technique has shown potential benefits in processing polymeric nanocomposites by reducing the curing time without compromising the thermo‐mechanical performances of the materials. It was observed from this investigation that, the curing time was drastically reduced to ～30 min for microwave curing instead of 12 h room temperature curing with additional 6 h post curing at 75°C. Ductile behavior was more pronounced for microwave curing technique while thermal curing showed brittle like behavior as revealed from flexural test. The maximum strain to failure was increased by 25–40% for microwave‐cured nanocomposites over the room temperature cured nanocomposites for the same loading of nanofillers. The glass transition temperature (Tg) also increased by ～14°C while curing under microwave irradiation. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41708. |
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| Keywords: | composites mechanical properties nanoparticles nanowires and nanocrystals thermal properties thermosets |
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