Development and characterization of functionalized TiO2-reinforced Schiff base epoxy nanocomposites

Abstract

Caprolactam Schiff base epoxy (CSEp) has been synthesized and characterized by Fourier transform infrared and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopies. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) has been functionalized with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (F-TiO2), and different weight percentages (1, 3, and 5 wt%) of F-TiO2 were reinforced with CSEp and are cured by caproamine. Thermal properties of CSEp/F-TiO2 composites were characterized using thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. Data obtained from X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy analyses indicate the homogeneous morphology of composites. The surface morphology of ultraviolet-exposed and -unexposed samples were analyzed using SEM and compared. Results from absorption and transmittance studies infer that the F-TiO2-reinforced hybrid composite materials offer excellent radiation-resistant behavior when compared to that of neat epoxy matrix.