Mechanical performance of resol type phenolic resin/layered silicate nanocomposites

Abstract Clay addition has been shown to affect polymer resins positively in terms of several physical and chemical properties, including mechanical performance, high temperature endurance and durability. These increases are limited only to relatively low concentrations of reinforcement phase, but at these low concentrations polymer/layered silicate nanocomposites (P/LS NC) have shown to exhibit higher mechanical performance than fiber reinforced polymer composites. This is among the several reasons that make P/LS NC's one of the most widely studied class of materials today. In this study, the mechanical performance of resol type phenolic resin/layered silicate nanocomposite specimens was examined by carrying out 3‐point bending, Charpy impact and fracture toughness tests to couple the observations, microstructural analysis is done through X‐ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The effects of especially three factors; cure method, clay amount, and clay modification were investigated. It was concluded that highest mechanical performance was obtained by the acid curing of the phenolic resin with very low amounts (e.g., 0.5%) of either very hydrophobic or very hydrophilic Na‐montmorillonite clay additions. Improvements as high as 7% in flexural strength, 11% in flexural strain at break, 16% in Charpy impact strength, and 66% in fracture toughness values were obtained. POLYM. COMPOS., 2009. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers