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The effect of SiO2 filler content and its organic compatibility on thermal stability of epoxy resin

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Abstract

Thermal properties of the organic–inorganic bicontinuous nanocomposites prepared via in situ two-stage polymerization of various silanes, epoxy, and amine monomers are investigated, and the impact of filler content and its organic compatibility on thermal stability of these nanocomposites is studied. Two series of epoxy–silica nanocomposites, namely, EpSi-A and EpSi-B containing 0–20 wt% silica, are synthesized. An epoxy–silane coupling agent is employed to improve the organic compatibility of silica in EpSi–B nanocomposites. The composites synthesized via two-stage polymerization are characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetric (TG) analysis. DSC and TG/differential thermogravimetric results reveal substantially high glass transition (T g) and excellent thermal stability of the bicontinuous nanocomposites as compared with pristine epoxy polymer. Both T g and thermal properties, however, considerably vary depending on the organic compatibility of the nanocomposites. Significantly higher decomposition temperatures are recorded in case of EpSi-B nanocomposites owing to the chemical links between the epoxy and silica phases. Kinetic studies also show relatively higher activation energies of pyrolysis for EpSi-B nanocomposites.

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Acknowledgements

The financial support by the University Research Fund of Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad is gratefully acknowledged.

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Author notes

  1. Adeel Afzal

    Present address: Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Bari—“Aldo Moro”, 4, via Orabona, 70126, Bari, Italy

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan

    Adeel Afzal, Humaira M. Siddiqi & Naseer Iqbal

  2. Department of Chemistry, Kuwait University, 13060, Safat, Kuwait

    Zahoor Ahmad

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  1. Adeel Afzal
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  2. Humaira M. Siddiqi
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  3. Naseer Iqbal
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Humaira M. Siddiqi.

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Afzal, A., Siddiqi, H.M., Iqbal, N. et al. The effect of SiO2 filler content and its organic compatibility on thermal stability of epoxy resin. J Therm Anal Calorim 111, 247–252 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-012-2267-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-012-2267-9

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