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AFM substantiation of the fracture behavior and mechanical properties of sol–gel derived silica packed epoxy networks

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Abstract

Silica packed epoxy networks are prepared in two steps via in situ, solvent free sol–gel processing of tetraethoxysilane in liquid epoxy monomer and curing the mixture with a flexible diamine afterwards. The influence of filler content and processing conditions on the mechanical properties and the fracture behavior is studied by means of the static mechanical analysis and AFM characterization of the pristine and the fractured polymer surfaces, and a mechanism to enhance polymer strength and toughness is proposed. The in–situ evolution and packing of silica nanostructures into epoxy networks influences the overall morphology and performance of polymers under high stress. It is found that smaller silica domains distributed at the molecular level cause efficient crack distribution by absorbing energy and thus improve the strength and toughness of silica packed epoxy polymers.

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Acknowledgments

The financial support by the URF, Quaid–i–Azam University is gratefully acknowledged. A.A is grateful to Prof. F. L. Dickert (University of Vienna, Austria) for providing the AFM facility.

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Authors and Affiliations

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

    Adeel Afzal & Humaira M. Siddiqi

  2. Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Bari, “Aldo Moro”. 4, via Orabona, 70126, Bari, Italy

    Adeel Afzal

  3. Institute of Analytical Chemistry, University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria

    Adnan Mujahid

  4. Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, PIEAS, Islamabad, 45650, Pakistan

    Shaukat Saeed

Authors
  1. Adeel Afzal
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  2. Humaira M. Siddiqi
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  3. Adnan Mujahid
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  4. Shaukat Saeed
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Correspondence to Adeel Afzal.

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Afzal, A., Siddiqi, H.M., Mujahid, A. et al. AFM substantiation of the fracture behavior and mechanical properties of sol–gel derived silica packed epoxy networks. J Sol-Gel Sci Technol 61, 44–48 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-011-2588-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-011-2588-3

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