Journal
POLYMER
Volume 55, Issue 25, Pages 6519-6528Publisher
ELSEVIER SCI LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2014.10.044
Keywords
Nanocomposite; Epoxy; Halloysite
Categories
Funding
- Norman Hackerman Advanced Research Program [9423]
- National Science Foundation [DMR-1205670]
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research [FA9550-12-1-0159]
- Faculty Large Grant from the University of Connecticut [4623050]
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Polymer nanocomposites have been extensively investigated over the past two decades, resulting in a wide range of applications because of their excellent performance. Halloysite, a type of naturally occurring aluminosilicate, has attracted increasing interest in polymer nanocomposite applications, especially for the enhancement of mechanical properties owing to its tubular structure. Herein, we report a facile approach to achieve a high level of dispersion of halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) in epoxy by treating HNTs with a low concentration of sodium hydroxide (NaOH). The NaOH treatment resulted in the formation of hydroxyl groups on the surface of HNTs, leading to a much higher level of dispersion of HNTs in water, organic polar solvents, and epoxy matrix. The higher density of external silanol groups (Si-OH) of hydroxylated HNTs (h-HNTs) was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) characterization. Such a higher level of dispersion and stronger interface led to simultaneous enhancement in both the stiffness and the toughness of epoxy/h-HNT nanocomposites. Systematic characterizations were performed to investigate the related stiffening and toughening mechanism. The implication of the present findings is discussed. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
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