Effect of the epoxycyclohexyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane content on the dynamic fragility of an epoxy resin

This study aims to evaluate the performance of epoxy/epoxycyclohexyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane nanocomposites focusing on differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic mechanical analysis. Nanocomposites with distinct nanoreinforcement contents (1, 2 and 5 wt.%) were studied. Using differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic mechanical analyses it was possible to assess some properties based on well-established concepts and correlate them with the structure formed. It was observed that the glass transition temperature decreases following the incorporation of epoxycyclohexyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane, indicating, in principle, that there is more mobility in the new system formed. However, other calculated parameters (cooperative rearrangement region, Angell fragility and Kauzmann temperature) showed no trend as a result of epoxycyclohexyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane incorporation.