RECOVERY BEHAVIOR OF HARDNESS INDENTATIONS OF EPOXY- REINFORCED HYBRID FILLER

Modern studies demonstrated that a cogent amendment “in mechanical properties of thermosetting polymers” maybe carried out by adopting submicron fillers. Mono composites (epoxy/wollastonite) and hybrid composites (epoxy/wollastonite-beeswax) were prepared and, the elastic and viscoelastic recovery of the resultant composites were accomplish. It was established that the partial encapsulation of wollastonite by beeswax could be upgraded the compatibility between wollastonite and epoxy resin which resulting in an advancement in epoxy composite mechanical properties. The elastic modulus for the composite reinforced with percentage 2% of wollastonite increased by 12% comparing with pure epoxy, while the presence of beeswax can significantly improve the elastic modulus by 67% and 101% for the 2% wollastonite loading with a 4:1 and 2:1 ratio of wax beeswax respectively. The elastic recovery percent decreased with increasing the percentage of wollastonite in the composite, where it has decreased from 58% for the pure epoxy to the 13.3% for the epoxy reinforced with 5%. A great enhancement in elastic recovery, 91.6% and 85.4% for the 2% wollastonite loading with a 4:1 and 2:1 ratio of wax beeswax respectively.