Mechanical, Structural, Thermal and Tribological Properties of Nanoclay Based Phenolic Composites

Phenolic resins are brittle at room temperature, hence to obtain suitable properties such as enhanced mechanical, thermal, etc., the phenolic resins are preferred to incorporate with fiber and/or filler. The phenolic based composites could be used to make complex geometries as they possess high strength and stiffness with high impact properties; hence, they would be the best alternative for metals. Furthermore, phenolic resins are well resistant to burning. It produces lesser smoke and toxic fumes, so they could be utilized in construction and building materials where high-temperature resistance is required. Therefore, numerous methods have been used to enhance the fire, mechanical, physical, etc., properties of phenolic resins by incorporating different sizes of fillers and/or fibers. However, the dispersion of nanoclay in the polymer matrix can limit the efficiency of composites. This chapter highlights the recent research works done on mechanical properties, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and tribological properties of nanoclay based phenolic matrix composites. Also, it explored how these properties were managed.