PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF PHOTO-CURABLE EPOXY-ACRYLATE/MONTMORILLONITE NANOCOMPOSITE MATERIAL

The ultraviolet-cured epoxy-acrylate/montmorillonite(EA/MMT) hybrid was synthesized by intercalation polymerization, and prepared into a novel nanocomposite material via UV-curing process. The intercalation and exfoliation behaviors of MMT in EA matrix was investigated by XRD and DSC methods after UV-curing. The influence of addition of MMT to EA on the UV-curing was also studied using FT-IR spectroscopy. The mechanical test of EA/MMT indicate that both impact strength and bending strength for EA/MMT nanocomposite increase to 54% and 10%, respectively, comparing to bulk EA material.