Effect of modified bentonites on the crosslinking process of epoxy resin with alifphatic amine as curing agent

In this work the influence of modified bentonites on the process of epoxy crosslinking with triethylenetetramine (TETA) was investigated. Bentonites (BS) modified with quaternary phosphonium (QPS) and ammonium (QAS) salts were used as a nanofiller in the epoxy matrix (EP) in the amounts of 1 and 3 wt %. Gel time of the compositions was investigated using rotational rheometer at 30, 45 and 60 degrees C and activation energies of the compositions were determined. The storage G' and loss G '' moduli crossover criterion was used to determine the nanocomposites gel time variation. On the basis of the obtained results, it was found that the addition of modified aluminosilicates decreased the gel time of epoxy compositions at 30 and 45 degrees C, while at 60 degrees C it increased compared to unmodified epoxy resin. The obtained results indicate that the amount of modified aluminosilicate and the type of salt influence the reactivity of epoxy compositions. Among the tested systems, the most reactive was the composition of EP+3%BSQPSI, because the gel time at 30 degrees C and activation energy decreased by 1500 s and 8 J/mol, respectively, in relation to the unfilled EP resin. A more catalytic effect was observed in the case of bentonites modified with quaternary phosphonium salts, which may be associated with lower phosphorus electronegativity in relation to nitrogen and a lower viscosity of these systems.