ENHANCED MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF EPOXY-BI₂SE₃ NANOCOMPOSITES

Polymers are widely used in diverse applications due to their low cost and simple manufacturing. However, they usually show lower modulus and mechanical properties than metals and ceramics. Insertion of foreign particles to polymeric matrices thus changing them into composites, significantly improve their stiffness, young modulus, flexibility, bending and decrease their thermal expansion. Due to their high surface area, nanoparticles can have the same reinforcement effect like micro-particles in lower concentrations and thereby maintain the lower weight of the polymers.

Bi₂Se₃ consists of three chalcogenide atom planes and two metal planes. It has layered hexagonal structure that can be exfoliated, thus have high aspect ratio. In this work, un-modified Bi₂Se₃ nano-platelets were synthesized and embedded in epoxy matrix. The tensile strength was measured and it is shown that there is 17% improvement when small amount of 0.2%wt of Bi2Se3 was added, while in higher concentrations, there is derogation due to nanoparticles agglomeration.