Effect of Particle Size on the Mechanical Properties of TiO-Epoxy Nanocomposites.

This study investigated the effects of the packing density and particle size distribution of TiO nanoparticles on the mechanical properties of TiO-epoxy nanocomposites (NCs). The uniform dispersion and good interfacial bonding of TiO in the epoxy resin resulted in improved mechanical properties with the addition of nanoparticles. Reinforcement nano-TiO particles dispersed in deionized water produced by three different ultrasonic dispersion methods were used; the ultrasonication effects were then compared. The nano-TiO suspension was added at 0.5-5.0 wt.%, and the mechanical and thermal properties of TiO-epoxy NCs were compared using a universal testing machine, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The tensile strength of the NCs was improved by the dispersion strengthening effect of the TiO nanoparticles, and focused sonication improved the tensile strength the most when nano-TiO suspensions with a particle size of 100 nm or smaller were used. Thus, the reinforcing effect of TiO nanoparticles on the epoxy resin was observed, and the nano-TiO suspension produced by focused sonication showed a more distinct reinforcing effect.