Study of Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Unsaturated Polyester/CuO Nanocomposites

Abstract

Abstract

The CuO nano particles were synthesized from copper sulfate pentahydrate aqueous solution under the low hydrothermal condition at 80°C. The size of the CuO nanoparticles was calculated from TEM. FTIR spectra confirmed the formation of the CuO nanoparticles. Nanocomposites of unsaturated polyester resin with different loading of nano CuO fillers were prepared by casting method. The mechanical properties of the composites such as tensile behavior, flexural behavior, impact strength and hardness were studied as a function of filler loading. Tensile strength, flexural strength and impact strength first showed an increase followed by a decrease at higher loading. The flexural moduli of the nanocomposites increased with nano CuO content. In order to understand the filler dispersion and filler/matrix interaction, the fracture surfaces were examined under SEM. The thermal property of nanocomposites also significantly enhanced with nano CuO addition.

Keywords: Unsaturated polyester resin, nano copper oxide, nanocomposites, mechanical properties, thermal properties

Cite this Article

Baskaran R, Ganapriya T, Nagarajan Iyer C. Study of mechanical and thermal properties of unsaturated polyester/CuO nanocomposites. Journal of Polymer & Composites. 2015; 3(3): 35–42p.