TY - JOUR
T1 - Microstructures and toughening mechanisms of organoclay/polyethersulphone/epoxy hybrid nanocomposites
AU - Wang, Yang
AU - Zhang, Boming
AU - Ye, Jinrui
PY - 2011/10/15
Y1 - 2011/10/15
N2 - Hybrid nanocomposites (HNCs) with high fracture toughness were successfully prepared by incorporating polyethersulphone (PES) and organoclay into epoxy resin. Their microstructures were studied. They were composed of homogeneous PES/epoxy matrices and micron-scale organoclay agglomerates. These agglomerates consisted of smaller tactoid-like regions which were comprised of ordered exfoliated nanolayers. The toughening mechanisms of the two tougheners were also studied and then related to their microstructures. For one thing, the PES which was dissolved in the epoxy resin homogeneously improved the ductility of the epoxy resin and made it easier to deform. For another, the organoclay agglomerates induced crack front bowing, crack bridging, crack deflection, crack bifurcation and plastic deformation of the matrices on the micron-scale, respectively. These toughening processes were achieved by the ordered exfoliated nanolayers with various orientations, which debonded from the matrices, bridged the cracks and induced the plastic deformation of the matrices on the nanoscale.
AB - Hybrid nanocomposites (HNCs) with high fracture toughness were successfully prepared by incorporating polyethersulphone (PES) and organoclay into epoxy resin. Their microstructures were studied. They were composed of homogeneous PES/epoxy matrices and micron-scale organoclay agglomerates. These agglomerates consisted of smaller tactoid-like regions which were comprised of ordered exfoliated nanolayers. The toughening mechanisms of the two tougheners were also studied and then related to their microstructures. For one thing, the PES which was dissolved in the epoxy resin homogeneously improved the ductility of the epoxy resin and made it easier to deform. For another, the organoclay agglomerates induced crack front bowing, crack bridging, crack deflection, crack bifurcation and plastic deformation of the matrices on the micron-scale, respectively. These toughening processes were achieved by the ordered exfoliated nanolayers with various orientations, which debonded from the matrices, bridged the cracks and induced the plastic deformation of the matrices on the nanoscale.
KW - Fracture toughness
KW - Hybrid nanocomposites
KW - Organoclay
KW - Toughening mechanism
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84860417496&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.msea.2011.07.009
DO - 10.1016/j.msea.2011.07.009
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84860417496
SN - 0921-5093
VL - 528
SP - 7999
EP - 8005
JO - Materials Science and Engineering: A
JF - Materials Science and Engineering: A
IS - 27
ER -