Thermo-mechanical behaviour of epoxy based polymer matrix

This study revealed the dynamic mechanical behavior of polymer matrix having different percentage of filler contents. Epoxy resin based polymer matrix were prepared and characterized their dynamic mechanical properties such as storage (elastic) modulus, loss (viscous) modulus and tan delta (damping coefficient) as a function of temperature. The temperature was applied from 30 to 120 0C with 5 0C increment and the specimens were clamped for dual cantilever bending. A total of seven different mixes with a filler volume increment of 10% started from zero filler mix (100% resin) were casted and the glass transition temperature were evaluated for each of the specimens. Knowing this temperature is important for the polymer matrix as the mechanical properties of material can change dramatically when the specimens are subjected to a temperature beyond this point. Results showed that the gradual increase of filler materials in the polymer matrix can shift the state of materials progressively from viscous to elastic. However, a slight increase of glass transition temperature were obtained among all seven mixes which ranged from 50 to 55 0C when using storage modulus or loss modulus curve and 60 to 65 0C when using peak of tan delta. To evaluate the effect of temperature and fatigue loading on specimens during the execution of Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA), the flexural properties of the invaded samples were tested using three point bending once the specimens cool down to the normal temperature. It was found that the dual action of temperature and repeated loading can reduce flexural strength and modulus significantly