AMINIMIDE-CURED EPOXY-RESINS AS SURFACE MODIFIERS FOR MICA FLAKES IN PARTICLE-REINFORCED THERMOPLASTICS

The tensile behaviour of mica flake dispersed thermoplastic composites was examined. The mica flakes (phlogopite, muscovite and cerisite) were treated with a combination of epoxy prepolymer and various aminimide curing agents and then incorporated into polypropylene or acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer matrix. Improvement of the filler-matrix interface with treatment is comparable to silane coupling treatment. The tensile strength increased by 20%. In contrast, surface treatment by conventional epoxy resins gave poor results. The behaviour is discussed in terms of the interface between filler and matrix in the polymer composite materials.