AL2O3 Reinforcement Effect on Structural Properties of Epoxy Polysulfide Copolymer

Epoxy-polysulfide copolymer has a remarkable flexibility and resists many chemicals such as water, fuels, hydrocarbons and hydraulic fluids. Because of the need to enhance mechanical properties of this copolymer ,the addition of Alumina powder was performed. This action has enhanced engineering properties, such as tensile strength, stiffness, wear and hardness, with other beneficial functions like moisture barrier and fire retardancy. In this work structural properties of copolymeric blend made of 6% Polysulfide–Epoxy was used since this ratio represents best mixing ratio of this blend considering previous studies reinforcement was different percent of Alumina powder (10, 20, 30 and 40%). Structural properties were evaluated according to the tests done on the composite which were Tensile, Hardness, Flexural and Wear tests. Tensile strength increases with the increasing of Alumina powder percentage up to 30% then a 9% reduction in Tensile strength is noticed due to agglomeration of alumina particles in the blend. Hardness and flexural bending strength showed an increase up to 30% of Alumina powder then a 4% and 84%, reduction was obtained because of bad dispersion. Wear rate showed a noticeable reduction (54%) with the increase of Alumina percent considering agglomeration at high percent of Alumina powder addition.