What does this research mean for the field?

The addition of 5 wt.% alumina trihydrate nanoparticles significantly enhances the mechanical properties of epoxy/polysulfide polymer blend nanocomposites, with increases in toughness, elongation at break, and hardness compared to pure epoxy. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.NOVEL_FINDING. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

This research investigates how alumina trihydrate nanoparticles affect the mechanical and thermal properties of epoxy and polysulfide blends.

March 2, 2026Open Access

Mechanical and thermal characterization of epoxy/polysulfide polymer blend-based nanocomposites filled with alumina trihydrate nanoparticles

Key Points

This research investigates how alumina trihydrate nanoparticles affect the mechanical and thermal properties of epoxy and polysulfide blends.
Blends of epoxy and polysulfide were prepared with varying concentrations of alumina trihydrate nanoparticles.
Samples were made using the hand lay-up molding method.
Mechanical tests included tensile, flexural, and hardness assessments, while thermal properties were examined using thermogravimetric analysis.
X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy were used to confirm nanoparticle dispersion and blend structure.
Maximum toughness for polymer blend nanocomposites was observed at 5 wt% alumina trihydrate nanoparticles, with increases of 54.22% and 206.5% compared to pure epoxy.
Maximum elongation at break increased by 312.45% for polymer blends and 425.36% for epoxy nanocomposites at 5 wt% NPs.
Hardness peaked at 86.26 for epoxy nanocomposites with 5 wt% alumina trihydrate nanoparticles.
Flexural strength reached 75.05 MPa with a 20.62% increase compared to pure epoxy.
Thermal stability improved in epoxy nanocomposites and polymer blends compared to the epoxy/polysulfide blend.

Abstract

This research aims to characterize the mechanical and thermal properties of a blend of epoxy (EPR) and polysulfide (PS) that incorporates alumina trihydrate (ATH) nanoparticles (NPs). The purpose is to investigate the effect of adding NPs on the properties of the resulting epoxy-polymer blends. The polymer blend nanocomposites (PBNCs) were prepared from EPR and PS by adding different concentrations (1 wt.%, 3 wt.%, and 5 wt.%) of ATH NPs. The hand lay-up molding method was utilized to prepare the samples. The mechanical and thermal characteristics of the specimens have been studied. The structure and formation of the blend (EPR/PS) and the dispersion of NPs inside the blend and epoxy were confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Mechanical behaviour through tensile, flexural, and hardness tests was carried out on polymer blends and composites. The results show that the maximum toughness for PBNCs and EPR NCs was recorded at 5 wt% ATH NPs, exhibiting enhancements of 54.22% and 206.5% above pure EPR, respectively. Maximum elongation at break is observed at 5 wt.% of ATH nanoparticles, with increases of 312.45% and 425.36% for PBNC and EPR nanocomposites, respectively, in comparison to EPR. The maximum hardness is 86.26 at 5 wt.% of ATH nanoparticles for EPR nanocomposites. While the maximum flexural strength (75.05 MPa) and flexural modulus (2406.69 MPa) for EPR NCs exhibited increases of 20.62% and 37%, respectively, in comparison to EPR (1756.73 MPa). The XRD pattern showed a favourable interaction among the components in the EPR/PS blend and the NCs. SEM micrographs revealed that the blend has a single face, and the NPs were effectively dispersed into the prepared composites. The examination of thermogravimetric analysis-derivative thermogravimetry (TGA-DTG) data indicates that the enhanced thermal stability of EPRNCs and PBNCs contrasts with that of the EPR/PS blend.

Mechanical and thermal characterization of epoxy/polysulfide polymer blend-based nanocomposites filled with alumina trihydrate nanoparticles

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