Exploring curing potential of epoxy nanocomposites containing nitrate anion intercalated Mg–Al–LDH with Cure Index

Abstract This paper focuses to provide information about the structure-property relationship in epoxy/LDH system by studying the curing characteristic of nanocomposite containing 0.1 wt.% of Mg–Al–NO3–LDH. For this purpose, Mg–Al–LDH intercalated with nitrate anion was synthesized using hydrothermal method. The formation of lamellar structure of LDH was confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared spectrophotometry (FTIR), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA/DTG) analyses. Then, the role of synthesized LDH in curing reaction of epoxy was qualitatively evaluated by nonisothermal differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) performed at different heating rates via Cure Index (CI). From this point of view, the cure state of epoxy nanocomposite at heating rate of 2 °C/min was Poor, due to the vitrification of epoxy system before complete cure taking place in the system. By increasing the heating rates up to 5, 7 and then 10 °C/min, the mobility reactants was increased in the system, so that curing reaction was facilitated. Besides, nitrate anion taking part in epoxide ring opening reaction caused progress in crosslinking network formation, as evidenced by Excellent cure state.