Find in Library

The radiation curing paradigm of opaque WS₂ nanoparticle (NP)-based epoxy/acrylate nanocomposites was studied and found to exhibit both a reduction in viscosity and an enhanced degree of curing when incorporating WS₂ NPs. The objective of this study was to investigate the mechanical, thermal, and physical properties of a radiation-induced and cured epoxy/acrylate blend containing 0.3 to 1.0 wt.% WS₂ NPs. Experimental results indicate that the tensile toughness increased by 22% upon optimizing the NP content compared to that of WS₂-free formulations. Tensile fractured surfaces with different WS₂ NP contents were analyzed with a scanning electron microscope and an atomic force microscope and showed distinctive morphology depending on the WS₂ NP content, supporting the results of the tensile test. The energy required to break shear adhesion specimens demonstrated an increase of up to 60% compared to that of the neat resin. The glass transition temperature determined by dynamic mechanical analysis presented similar or higher values upon WS₂ NP incorporation. Furthermore, up to 80% improvement in impact strength was demonstrated when WS₂ NPs were dispersed in the epoxy/acrylate blend. It was concluded that the surface chemistry and dispersion level of the WS₂ NPs are the major variables affecting the macro properties of cationically radiation-cured resins and their adhesion properties. This study is the first to demonstrate the possibility for radiation-induced curing of opaque NPs based on WS₂ that serve as both a reinforcement nanoparticle at low concentrations and an enhancement of the degree of curing.