Mechanical and tribological properties of epoxy modified by liquid carboxyl terminated poly(butadiene-co-acrylonitrile) rubber

Diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA)-based epoxy resin was modified using liquid carboxyl-terminated poly(butadiene-co-acrylonitrile) (CTBN) rubber. The liquid CTBN contents used ranged from 2.5 to 20 parts per hundred parts of resin (phr). Mechanical properties of the modified resins were evaluated and the microstructures of the fracture surfaces were examined using SEM technique. The changes in storage modulus and the glass transition temperature were also evaluated using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The tribological tests were performed using a ball-on-disc tribometer. The worn surfaces and the ball counter-mates after tribological tests were investigated using optical microscope technique. The results revealed the influence of liquid CTBN content on mechanical and tribological properties, and also microstructure of the modified epoxy resins. Impact resistance increased whereas the storage modulus and the hardness decreased when the CTBN rubber was introduced to the epoxy network. The coefficient of friction of the CTBN-modified epoxy was lower than that of the neat epoxy. The CTBN content of lower than 10 phr was recommended for improving the wear resistance of epoxy resin. Changes in tribological properties of the CTBN-modified epoxy correspond well to those in mechanical changes, especially the toughness properties. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012