Hybrid Nanocomposites Based on Epoxy/silsesquioxanes Matrices Reinforced with Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes

The aim of this work was the synthesis of hybrid organic-inorganic epoxy-copolysilsesquioxane nanocomposites reinforced with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT). Copolysilsesquioxanes oligomers from 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and phenyltriethoxysilane (PTES) precursors have been synthesized by a sol-gel process and chemically incorporated to an epoxy resin based on diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA). MWCNT (0.25 wt%) was added to the hybrid matrixes with different degrees of condensation. Fourier transform infrared analysis showed that a high degree of cure was achieved, suggesting that the MWCNT did not affect the curing reaction of the hybrid matrixes. Hybrid nanocomposites obtained by sonication technique presented improvement on thermal stability, exhibiting onset degradation temperatures higher than 340 degrees C under N-2. Tensile tests presented Young's modulus and maximum stress values up to 2.9 GPa and 47 MPa, respectively, indicating that the new hybrid epoxy/MWCNT nanocomposites show a moderate enhancement of the mechanical properties in comparison with the neat epoxy resin.