Abstract
The aim of this study is to investigate the processability of silica-thermoset polymer matrix nanocomposites in terms of dispersion of silica nanoparticles and their effect on curing. Two thermosetting resins were considered, an epoxy and a polyester resin, with 5 % silica, although 1% silica was also used in preliminary studies in the polyester system. Various combinations of mechanical mixing and sonication were investigated for the dispersion of silica nanoparticles under different processing conditions and times in solvent-free and solvent-containing systems. It was found that the best dispersion route involved a solvent-aided dispersion technique. Consequently, different procedures for the solvent removal were investigated. Optical microscopy and SEM were used to characterize the resulting nanocomposites. DSC and rheological DMTA tests demonstrated that the silica nanoparticles shorten the gel time and promote curing in these thermosetting systems.