NANO-CuO/EPOXY COMPOSITES: THERMAL CHARACTERIZATION AND THERMO-OXIDATIVE DEGRADATION

It is found that 5% CuO nanoparticle/epoxy nancomposite showed the best thermal properties via calorimetry analysis due to homogeneous dispersion of nanofillers. The nanocomposite exhibited an increase in storage modulus, glass transition temperature, and cross-link density from the pure epoxy system. Thermo-oxidative degradation of the cured epoxy systems with 5% and without CuO nanoparticles was studied by thermogravimetry analysis to determine the reaction mechanism in air. The results indicated that the degradation mechanism of the pure epoxy system is influenced by the presence of CuO nanoparticles. For the nanocomposite, analysis of the results suggests that the reaction mechanism obeys the three-dimensional diffusion (D-3) mechanism.