Development and characterization of functionalized Al₂O₃ and TiO₂-reinforced polybenzoxazine nanocomposites

Abstract

In the present work, benzoxazine was synthesized using caprolactam amine and cardanol, and its molecular structure was confirmed with FTIR and NMR spectroscopic techniques. Alumina (Al₂O₃) and titania (TiO₂) were functionalized using 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS). The nanocomposites were developed by reinforcing with varying weight (1, 3, 5, and 7) percentages of functionalized Al₂O₃ (F-Al₂O₃) and functionalized TiO₂ (F-TiO₂) with benzoxazine. The developed nanocomposites (F-Al₂O₃/CPBz and F-TiO₂/CPBz) were characterized from their thermal, dielectric, and UV shielding studies. Data obtained from thermal studies show that 7 wt% of F-Al₂O₃-reinforced cardanol-based polybenzoxazine nanocomposite exhibits higher thermal stability than that of 7 wt% F-TiO₂-reinforced cardanol-based polybenzoxazine nanocomposite. Dielectric and UV shielding studies show that 7 wt% F-TiO₂ nanocomposite show higher value of dielectric constant (10.2) and UV shielding value (93%) than those of neat and other weight percentages of F-Al₂O₃ and F-TiO₂ reinforced composites.

Keywords:

• Polybenzoxazine
• UV shielding
• dielectric constant
• APTMS
• nanocomposites

Acknowledgments

The authors also thank R.Sasikumar, M.Ariraman, Polymer Composite Lab, Department of Chemical Engineering, Anna University, H. Madhesan, School of Advanced Science, VIT University, Vellore and Rama Subramanian, MFL, Chennai for their support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the University of Grants Commission (UGC) [grant number 41-233/2012(SR) dated 13/07/2012].