The effect of silica nano particles and rubber particles on the toughness of multiphase thermosetting epoxy polymers

The substantial increase in toughness achieved when nano-SiO2 particles were dispersed in a hot-cured single-part epoxy polymer was investigated. The synergistic effect of having a multiphase structure is based upon both nano-SiO2 and rubbery particles. The modulus, of the rubber-particulate epoxy polymer increases steadily as the wt.% of the silica nanophase was increased. The results suggested that the volume fraction of the rubbery-particulate phase which was formed was independent of the concentration of the nano-silicate phase present.