Reinforcing Effect of Graphene in Epoxy Adhesives: Review

Due to its great strength, hardness, and chemical resistance, epoxy adhesives are becoming more and more used. They continue to have drawbacks, nevertheless, such as poor thermal stability, and poor electrical conductivity. Two-dimensional graphene is a wonderful substance with exceptional qualities including high strength, high electrical conductivity, and large surface area. Because of these characteristics, graphene has been thoroughly researched for its prospective uses in a variety of industries, including electronics, energy storage, and biomedical engineering. The use of graphene as an additive in epoxy adhesives to enhance the characteristics of such materials is one of its promising uses. This paper reviewed the latest findings about graphene’s effects on epoxy adhesives. The various methods to produce graphene-epoxy composites and their improvements are discussed. This research additionally discusses the challenges associated with the production and processing of graphene-epoxy composites, as well as the mechanisms behind the improvements in mechanical, electrical, and thermal characteristics. The final section of this review discusses the challenges and prospective uses of graphene in epoxy adhesives in the future.

Investigating the Mechanical and Thermal Properties of PDMS-Toughened Epoxy Resins for Advanced Adhesive Solutions

This study investigates the enhancement of mechanical and thermal properties in epoxy resins modified with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) for advanced adhesive applications. The research focuses on evaluating the tensile strength, thermal stability, and glass transition temperature (Tg) of PDMS-toughened epoxy resins. The primary objective of this study was to explore the use of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as an impact modifier for epoxy resin. We successfully synthesized a grafting copolymer of diglycidyl ether bisphenol-A (DGEBA) and hydroxyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane (HTPDMS) through the condensation of hydroxyl groups. Triethylene tetraamine (TETA) was employed as the curing agent to cross-link both DGEBA and the HTPDMS copolymer. The chemical structure of the DGEBA-HTPDMS grafting copolymer was confirmed using fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Tensile testing of the cured materials indicated that the elongation at break increased upon addition of PDMS. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) revealed improved thermal stability for the DGEBA system with the incorporation of HTPDMS. These findings suggest that the Si-O-Si segments within the PDMS contribute to the improved mechanical and thermal properties of the DGEBA-based resin.

Modification on epoxy-based adhesive

This research adopted four methods to toughen epoxy adhesives. They were liquid hydroxyl group terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) rubber modification, silicon rubber modification, polyacrylate multiplicity elastomer particulates emulsion modification and chemical grafting modification. After modification, the shearing strength and the rupture elongation were tested. The interface and the chemical reaction between the modifiers and the epoxy were analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and infrared optical spectrum. The results show that the elastomer particulates modification and the chemical grafting modification can reach the better toughening effects.

Determination of Water Diffusion Coefficients and Dynamics in Adhesive/Carbon Fiber Reinforced Epoxy Resin Composite Joints

To determinate the water diffusion coefficients and dynamics in adhesive/carben fiber reinforced epoxy resin composite joints, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis（EDX） is used to establish the content change of oxy- gen in the adhesive in adhesive/carbon fther reinforced epoxy resin composite joints. As water is made up of oxygen and hydrogen, the water diffusion coefficients and dynamics in adhesive/carben fiber reinforced epoxy resin composite joints can be obtained from the change in the content of oxygen in the adhesive during humidity aging, via EDX analy-sis. The authors have calculated the water diffusion coefficients and dynamics in the adhesive/carbon fiber reinforced epoxy resin composite joints with the aid of beth energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The de- termined results with EDX analysis are almost the same as those determined with elemental analysis and the results al- so show that the durability of the adhesive/carbon fther reinforced epoxy resin composite joints subjected to silane cou- pling agent treatment is better than those subjected to sand paper burnishing treatment and chemical oxidation treat- ment.

Study on Camellia Oleifera Protein based Wood Adhesive by Epoxy Resin and Its Crosslinking Mechanism

Epoxy resin (EPR) was used to crosslink with Camellia oleifera Abel.protein to prepare wood adhesive,and the bonding performance and curing characteristics of which were mainly investigated,and the synthesis mechanism was also discussed by using model compounds.The experimental results show that EPR can significantly improve the bonding performance of Camellia oleifera Abel.protein-based adhesive,and the maximum of which reaches 0.72 MPa satisfies the strength requirement of Type II plywood in GB/T 17657-2013.After alkali treatment,the protein can more easily crosslink with EPR at low curing temperature,and the adhesive has high degree of crystallinity of curing products,high degree of crosslinking reaction,and high bonding strength.The reaction mechanism of EPR-modified Camellia oleifera Abel.protein adhesive can be divided into resinification phase and curing phase.

Improvements of heat resistance and adhesive property of condensed poly-nuclear aromatic resin via epoxy resin modification

A bisphenol epoxy resin was used as modifier to increase the heat resistance of condensed poly-nuclear aromatic （COPNA） resin. The basic properties of COPNA resin and modified resin were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy （FT-IR）, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy （1H-NMR）, vapor pressure osmometry （VPO） and elemental analysis （EA）. Average structural parameters of resins were calculated by the improved Brown-Ladner method, and heat resistance of resins was tested by thermogravimetric analysis （TGA）. The chemical structure, mechanical properties and heat resistivity of the resin/graphite composites prepared with different resins were compared. The results show that the adhesive property and heat resistance of COPNA resin can be remarkably improved by addition of 5 wt.% epoxy resin. The reason is that the reactions between epoxy groups of epoxy resin and hydroxyl groups of COPNA resin improve the heat resistance and adhesive property of COPNA resin. Electric motor brushes with good mechanical properties and low electrical resistivity were successfully prepared by using the modified resin as binder.

Special epoxy silicone adhesive for inertial confinement fusion experiment

The effects of toughener and coupling agent on special epoxy silicone adhesive were discussed by researching the surface morphology characters, thermal properties and shear strength of the adhesive. The results indicate that silicone coupling agent (KH-550) can improve the shear strength of the epoxy silicone adhesive effectively. The mass fraction of the toughener in the epoxy silicone adhesive plays an important role in its properties. When the mass fraction of the toughener is less than 14%, the shear strength of the adhesive is low. When the mass fraction of the toughener is over 33%, thermal properties and shear strength of the adhesive decrease with the increasing of the toughener. The mass fraction of toughener of 25% results in good integral properties of the epoxy silicone adhesive. The morphologic analysis indicates that the micro-phase separation exists in the epoxy molecular chain and the silicone molecular chain of the epoxy silicone adhesive.

Surface adhesive properties of continuous PBO fiber after air-plasma-grafting-epoxy treatment

It was found that air dielectric barrier discharge(DBD) plasma contributed to the grafting of epoxy resin onto continuous PBO fiber surface. This air-plasma-grafting-epoxy method yielded a noticeable enhancement in the interfacial adhesion between PBO fiber and thermoplastic matrix resin, with the interlaminar shear strength of the resulting composites increased by 66.7%. DSC and FTIR analyses were then used to study the curing behavior of epoxy coating on PBO fiber surface, deduce the possible grafting reactions and investigate the grafting mechanism. More importantly, TGA measurement showed that the grafting of epoxy onto PBO fiber had almost no effect on the composite heat resistance, and there was more thermoplastic matrix resin adhering to the fiber surface; the latter could also be clearly found in the SEM photos. Thereby, the air-plasma-grafting-epoxy treatment was proved to be an effective method for the improvement of continuous PBO fiber surface adhesive properties.

600 Mesh Silicon Carbide Corona Protection Varnish with EPOXY/OMMT Nano-composite Adhesive

A new corona protection varnish was prepared by using epoxy/montmorillonite nanocomposite and pure epoxy resin as adhesives respectively.The adhesive with different amounts of organic montmorillonite（OMMT） was mixed with 1200 mesh silicon carbide（Si C） by different weight ratios.The surface states of the varnishes with various adhesives were observed by powerful optical microscope.Some properties of the varnishes were analyzed during the enduring time under 5kV/cm DC,such as the relation of change in nonlinear coefficient,natural surface resistivity,and surface temperature variation.The results showed that the amounts of OMMT had little effect on the natural surface resistance of the varnish but had important influence on the nonlinear property of the varnish.When the range of the OMMT content was 2wt% to 6wt%,the nonlinear coefficient of all materials with epoxy/OMMT nano-composite adhesive was higher than that with pure epoxy resin adhesive.The surface temperature of the varnish with epoxy/OMMT nanocomposite adhesive was all lower than that with the pure epoxy resin adhesive under high electrical field strength.

Greatly enhanced corrosion/wear resistances of epoxy coating for Mg alloy through a synergistic effect between functionalized graphene and insulated blocking layer

The poor corrosion and wear resistances of Mg alloys seriously limit their potential applications in various industries.The conventional epoxy coating easily forms many intrinsic defects during the solidification process,which cannot provide sufficient protection.In the current study,we design a double-layer epoxy composite coating on Mg alloy with enhanced anti-corrosion/wear properties,via the spin-assisted assembly technique.The outer layer is functionalized graphene(FG)in waterborne epoxy resin(WEP)and the inner layer is Ce-based conversion(Ce)film.The FG sheets can be homogeneously dispersed within the epoxy matrix to fill the intrinsic defects and improve the barrier capability.The Ce film connects the outer layer with the substrate,showing the transition effect.The corrosion rate of Ce/WEP/FG composite coating is 2131 times lower than that of bare Mg alloy,and the wear rate is decreased by~90%.The improved corrosion resistance is attributed to the labyrinth effect(hindering the penetration of corrosive medium)and the obstruction of galvanic coupling behavior.The synergistic effect derived from the FG sheet and blocking layer exhibits great potential in realizing the improvement of multi-functional integration,which will open up a new avenue for the development of novel composite protection coatings of Mg alloys.

Development of Multi-Functional Hybrid Carbon-Based Nano-Reinforced Epoxy Adhesives

In an effort to expand the insulating behavior of adhesives, incorporated nano-sized fillers, such as multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs), are usually selected. Including both MWCNTs and GNPs into polymers is assumed to have complementary influence (synergy), providing a new research area. Nevertheless, limited studies have been carried out towards this hybrid direction, as it is challenging to achieve a uniform distribution of both fillers into the polymer matrix. In this work, the addition of MWCNTs and GNPs into the epoxy adhesives has been studied to increase their thermal and electrical conductivity without diminishing their mechanical properties. Three types of nano-reinforced adhesives were developed by using: 1) 2%wt. MWCNTs, 2) 8%wt. GNPs and 3) 1%wt. MWCNTs and 8%wt. GNPs. The production of nano-reinforced adhesives was achieved by using a three-roll milling technique, while during the experimental characterization single lap shear tests, thermal and electrical conductivity measurements were performed. According to the results, the introduction of nano-particles caused significant increases in electrical and thermal conductivity. MWCNTs in content of 2%wt. showed the highest improvement in the electrical conductivity (9 orders of magnitude), while GNPs in content of 8%wt. recorded the highest increase (207%) in the thermal conductivity of nano-reinforced adhesives. Finally, it was observed that the hybrid system successfully contributed to the development of a multi-functional epoxy adhesive with improved thermal and electrical properties without significantly compromising its mechanical properties.

Cardo poly (ether sulfone) toughened E51/DETDA epoxy resin and its carbon fiber composites

A toughener that can effectively improve the interlaminar toughness in carbon fiber composites is crucial for various applications.We investigated,the toughening effects of phenolphthalein-based cardo poly(ether sulfone)(PES-C)on E51/DETDA epoxy and its carbon fiber composites(CFCs).Scanning electron microscopy showed that the phase structures of PES-C/epoxy blends change from island(of dispersed phase)structures to bi-continuous structures(of the matrix)as the PES-C content increased,which is associated with reaction-induced phase separation.After adding 15 phr PES-C,the glass transition temperature(T_(g))of the blends increased by 51.5℃,and the flexural strength,impact strength and fracture toughness of the blends were improved by 41.1%,186.2%and 42.7%,respectively.These improvements could be attributed to the phase separation structure of the PES-C/epoxy sys-tem.A PES-C film was used to improve the mode-II fracture toughness(G_(IIC))of CFCs.The G_(IIC) value of the 7μm PES-C film toughened laminate was improved by 80.3%compared to that of the control laminate.The increase in G_(IIC) was attributed to cohesive failure and plastic deformation in the interleaving region.

Overview of the Synthesis, Characterization, and Application of Tannin-Glyoxal Adhesive for Wood-Based Composites

More than a century after its initial synthesis,urea-formaldehyde(UF)resins still have dominant applications as adhesives,paints,and coatings.However,formaldehyde in this industry produces formaldehyde emissions that are dangerous to health.Scientists have spent the last decade replacing formaldehyde and phenol with environmentally friendly substances such as glyoxal and tannin to create bio-based adhesives.This review covers recent advances in synthesizing glyoxal tannin-based resins,especially those made from sustainable raw material substitutes and changes made to synthetic processes to improve mechanical properties.The efficacy of using tannin-glyoxal adhesives in producing wood-based composites has been proven.The glyoxylate reaction forms cross-linked bridges between the aromatic sites of the tannin and glyoxal molecular structures.Glyoxal tannin adhesive with a greater percentage of glyoxal than tannin will produce an adhesive with better characteristics.The gel time reduces as the hardener concentration rises from 7.5%to 15%when glyoxal is used in adhesives.However,excessive amounts of glyoxal will result in a decrease in viscosity values.Glyoxal exhibits faster delivery degradation when it reaches a maximum temperature of approximately 130°C,although it initiates the curing process slightly slower at 110°C.Adding glyoxal to tannin-based adhesives can improve the mechanical properties of composite boards.The wet shear strength of the resulting plywood is increased by 105.4%with the addition of 5-weight percent tannin-based resin with glyoxal as a cross-linker in Soy Protein Adhesive.With glyoxal as a hardener,the panels produced showed good internal bond strengths(>0.35 MPa)and met the international standard specifications for interior-grade panels.

Effect of Epoxy Resin on the Properties of Recycled Asphalt

To promote the recycling of reclaimed asphalt pavement(RAP),epoxy resin was used to prepare the epoxy-recycled asphalt mixtures.The effect of epoxy resin on the properties of aged asphalt binder was investigated based on the tensile test,flexural creep test,and laser scanning confocal microscopy.The curing characteristics and the mechanical performance of recycled asphalt with different epoxy contents were explored.The results show that the low-temperature performance,ductility,and strength of the aged asphalt binder were significantly improved when the epoxy content reached 40%.The curing time of epoxy-recycled asphalt should be at least 4 d to ensure the formation of good internal spatial network structure.

Adhesion of Technical Lignin-Based Non-Isocyanate Polyurethane Adhesives for Wood Bonding

Lignin is the most abundant aromatic natural polymer,and receiving great attention in replacing various petro-leum-based polymers.The aim of this study is to investigate the feasibility of technical lignin as a polyol for the synthesis of non-isocyanate polyurethane(NIPU)adhesives to substitute current polyurethane(PU)adhesives that have been synthesized with toxic isocyanate and polyols.Crude hardwood kraft lignin(C-HKL)was extracted from black liquor from a pulp mill followed by acetone fractionation to obtain acetone soluble-HKL(AS-HKL).Then,C-HKL,AS-HKL,and softwood sodium lignosulfonate(LS)were used for the synthesis of technical lignin-based NIPU adhesives through carbonation and polyamination and silane as a cross-linker.Their adhesion per-formance was determined for plywood.FTIR spectra showed the formation of urethane bonds and the reaction between lignin and silane.The NIPU adhesives prepared with C-HKL showed the highest adhesion strength among the three lignin-based NIPU adhesives.As the silane addition level increased,the adhesion strength of NIPU adhesives increased whereas formaldehyde emission decreased for all NIPU adhesives prepared.These results indicate that NIPU adhesives based on technical kraft lignin have a great potential as polyol for the synth-esis of bio-based NIPU adhesives for wood bonding.

Optimization Mechanism of Mechanical Properties of Basalt Fiber-Epoxy Resin Composites by Interfacially Enriched Distribution of Nano-Starch Crystals

Fibre reinforced polymer composites have become a new generation of structural materials due to their unique advantages such as high specific strength,designability,good dimensional stability and ease of large-area monolithic forming.However,the problem of interfacial bonding between the resin matrix and the fibres limits the direct use of reinforcing fibres and has become a central difficulty in the development of basalt fibre-epoxy composites.This paper proposes a solution for enhancing the strength of the fibre-resin interface using maize starch nanocrystals,which are highly yield and eco-friendly.Firstly,in this paper,corn starch nanocrystals(SNC)were prepared by hydrolysis,and were deposited on the surface of basalt fibers by electrostatic adsorption.After that,in order to maximize the modification effect of nano-starch crystals on the interface,the basalt fiber-epoxy resin composite samples were prepared by mixing in a pressureless molding method.The test results shown that the addition of basalt fibers alone led to a reduction in the strength of the sample.Deposition of 0.1 wt%SNC on the surface of basalt fibers can make the strength consistent with pure epoxy resin.When the adsorption amount of SNC reached 0.5 wt%,the tensile strength of the samples was 23.7%higher than that of pure epoxy resin.This is due to the formation of ether bond homopolymers between the SNC at the fibre-epoxy interface and the epoxy resin,which distorts the originally smooth interface,leading to increased stress concentration and the development of cracks.This enhances the binding of basalt fibers.The conclusions of this paper can provide an effective,simple,low-cost and non-polluting method of interfacial enhancement modification.

Mechanical behavior of nanorubber reinforced epoxy over a wide strain rate loading

Nanorubber/epoxy composites containing 0,2,6 and 10 wt%nanorubber are subjected to uniaxial compression over a wide range of strain rate from 8×10^(-4) s^(-1) to~2×10^(4) s^(-1).Unexpectedly,their strain rate sensitivity and strain hardening index increase with increasing nanorubber content.Potential mechanisms are proposed based on numerical simulations using a unit cell model.An increase in the strain rate sensitivity with increasing nanorubber content results from the fact that the nanorubber becomes less incompressible at high strain,generating a higher hydro-static pressure.Adiabatic shear localization starts to occur in the epoxy under a strain rate of 22,000 s^(-1) when the strain exceeds 0.35.The presence of nanorubber in the epoxy reduces adiabatic shear localization by preventing it from propagating.

Enhanced corrosion resistance of epoxy resin coating via addition of CeO_(2) and benzotriazole

The use of fillers to enhance the corrosion protection of epoxy resins has been widely applied.In this work,cerium dioxide(CeO_(2))and benzotriazole(BTA)were introduced into an epoxy resin to enhance the corrosion resistance of Q235 carbon steel.Scanning electron microscopy results indicated that the CeO_(2) grains were rod-like and ellipsoidal in shape,and the distribution pattern of BTA was analyzed by energy dispersive spectroscope.The dynamic potential polarization curve proved the excellent corrosion resistance of the composite epoxy resin with CeO_(2) and BTA co-addition,and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy test analysis indicated the significantly enhanced long-term corrosion protection performance of the composite coating.And the optimal protective performance was provided by the coating containing 0.3%(mass)CeO_(2) and 20%(mass)BTA,which was attributed to the barrier performance of CeO_(2) particles and the chemical barrier effect of BTA.The formation of corrosion products was analyzed using X-ray diffraction.In addition,the corrosion resistance mechanism of the coating was also discussed in detail.

Evaluation of the injection and plugging ability of a novel epoxy resin in cement cracks

Sustained casing pressure(SCP)is a crucial issue in the oil and gas production lifecycle.Epoxy resins,exhibiting exceptional compressive strength,ductility,and shear bonding strength,have the potential to form reliable barriers.The injectivity and sealing capacity of the epoxy resin is crucial parameters for the success of shallow remediation operations.This study aimed to develop and assess a novel solid-free resin sealant as an alternative to Portland cement for mitigating fluid leakage.The investigation evaluated the viscosity,compressive strength,and brittleness index of the epoxy resin sealant,as well as its tangential and normal shear strengths in conjunction with casing steel.The flow characteristics and sealing abilities of conventional cement and epoxy resin were comparatively analyzed in cracks.The results showed that the application of a viscosity reducer facilitated control over the curing time of the epoxy resin,ranging from 1.5 to 6 h,and reduced the initial viscosity from 865.53 to 118.71 m Pa,s.The mechanical properties of the epoxy resin initially increased with a rise in curing agent content before experiencing a minor decrease.The epoxy resin containing 30%curing agent exhibited optimal mechanical properties.After a 14-day curing period,the epoxy resin's compressive strength reached81.37 MPa,2.12 times higher than that of cement,whereas the elastic modulus of cement was 2.99 times greater than that of the epoxy resin.The brittleness index of epoxy resin is only 3.42,demonstrating high flexibility and toughness.The tangential and normal shear strengths of the epoxy resin exceeded those of cement by 3.17 and 2.82 times,respectively.In a 0.5 mm-wide crack,the injection pressure of the epoxy resin remained below 0.075 MPa,indicating superior injection and flow capabilities.Conversely,the injection pressure of cement surged dramatically to 2.61 MPa within 5 min.The breakthrough pressure of0.5 PV epoxy resin reached 7.53 MPa,decreasing the crack's permeability to 0.02 D,a mere 9.49%of the permeability observed following cement plugging.Upon sealing a 2 mm-wide crack using epoxy resin,the maximum breakthrough pressure attained 5.47 MPa,3.48 times of cement.These results suggest that epoxy resin sealant can be employed safely and effectively to seal cracks in the cement.

Theoretical optimization of micropillar arrays for structurally stable bioinspired dry adhesives

Inspired by the excellent adhesion performances of setae structure from organisms,micro/nano-pillar array has become one of the paradigms for adhesive surfaces.The micropillar arrays are composed of the resin pillars for adhesion and the substrate with different elastic modulus for supporting.The stress singularity at the bi-material corner between the pillars and the substrate can induce the failure of the micropillar-substrate corner and further hinder the fabrication and application of micropillar arrays,yet the design for the stability of the micropillar array lacks systematical and quantitative guides.In this work,we develop a semi-analytical method to provide the full expressions for the stress distribution within the bi-material corner combining analytical derivations and numerical calculations.The predictions for the stress within the singularity field can be obtained based on the full expressions of the stress.The good agreement between the predictions and the FEM results demonstrates the high reliability of our method.By adopting the strain energy density factor approach,the stability of the pillar-substrate corner is assessed by predicting the failure at the corner.For the elastic mismatch between the pillar and substrate given in this paper,the stability can be improved by increasing the ratio of the shear modulus of the substrate to that of the micropillar.Our study provides accurate predictions for the stress distribution at the bi-material corner and can guide the optimization of material combinations of the pillars and the substrate for more stable bioinspired dry adhesives.