Mechanical Properties of Glass Microsphere/Epoxy Foams Modified by Carbon Nanotubes and Nanosilica

Abstract

<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family: " times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";mso-bidi-font-family:="" mangal;mso-ansi-language:en-gb;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:="" hi"="" lang="EN-GB">Highly effective blast-absorbing materials are demanded by the industry, as they can improve blast resistance of structures. There are two ways of improving the blast resistance of a structure – either to enhance the performance of the structural materials, or to use sacrificial cladding structures with the core made of the highly blast-absorbing material. Presented study deals with the influence of nanoparticle addition on physico-mechanical properties of a foam composite designed for blast energy absorbing applications. Specific porous lightweight foam with high volume fraction of microspheres was prepared and modified by 1 to 5 vol. parts of multi-wall carbon nanotubes or nanosilica. Two types of microspheres with different wall thickness and strength were used. Nanoparticles dispersion quality was evaluated in relation to the mixing procedure using scanning electron microscope observation. Compressive and flexural strength tests were conducted at quasi-static load. The mixtures containing nanosilica exhibited an increasing trend in both flexural and compressive strength with increasing nanoparticle content up to 4 vol. parts. The addition of carbon nanotubes also increased flexural strength (again up to 4 vol. parts, crossing this concentration, a significant drop was observed), whereas the compressive strength was less affected. Nanoparticle modification was more effective in the foams with microspheres with higher thickness and thus strength. The test results showed that the properties of glass/epoxy foams can be tailored by adding nanoscale fillers.</span>