Heterogeneous Transport Processes and Unexpected Structure Formation in Layered Epoxy and Epoxy-Alumina Nanocomposite Systems

Abstract

Static and dynamic hypersonic properties are probed to reveal the subtle interplay between demixing, matter transport, chemical network formation, polymer network swelling, and network damage in the vicinity of the interface between the reactants of amine-curing epoxies. An innovative time- and space-resolved acoustic microscopy, called scanning Brillouin microscopy, gives access to these competing transport and structure formation processes in epoxy systems consisting of either pure resin, alumina nanoparticles-filled resin, or various epoxy resin-hardener mixtures topped by a layer of pure hardener.

Keywords:

• Amine-hardened epoxies
• Brillouin spectroscopy
• Epoxy network swelling and damage
• Heterogeneous epoxy networks
• Mechanical properties

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

This work was financially supported by the University of Luxembourg, especially the project “Static and dynamic properties of nanocomposites” and by the Fonds national de la recherche du Luxembourg.

Notes

Presented in part at the 4th World Congress on Adhesion & Related Phenomena (WCARP-IV), held in Arcachon, France, September 26–30 2010.