Deformation mechanism of epoxy/clay nanocomposite

Polymer-layered silicate nanocomposites have been noticed recently due to their outstanding properties. The mechanical properties and deformation mechanism of epoxy/montmorillonite nanocomposites under compressive and flexural loadings were investigated. A reduction in compressive and flexural yield stress and also glass transition temperature with increasing the amount of organoclay was observed. This change in mechanical behavior of epoxy can be explained with observation of plastic deformation mechanism. The study of deformation mechanism revealed that presence of organoclay accelerates shear yielding in epoxy. Microscopic evaluation illustrated that nanoparticles in this system act as initiation sites for shear bands, and thus, enable the epoxy to undergo massive shear yielding.