An experimental study on clay/epoxy nanocomposites produced in a centrifuge

This paper presents a study on the effect of processing variables on the mechanical properties of clay/epoxy nanocomposites produced in a centrifuge. Several experiments were conducted including different types of clay with varying processing conditions such as centrifuge rotor speed and curing temperature. The effects of these variables on the mechanical properties of nanocomposites were then studied. In order to fully understand the experimental results, a TEM was used to investigate the effect of abovementioned variables on microstructure and intercalation/exfoliation of clay/epoxy nanocomposites. The results from this work could be used to determine the best processing window to obtain appropriate levels of strength, stiffness and energy to failure in clay/epoxy nanocomposites. (C) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.