Fiber-reinforced composites based on epoxy resins modified with elastomers and surface-modified silica nanoparticles

The properties of fiber-reinforced composites made using epoxy resin formulations can be improved using modified epoxy resins. As epoxies are inherently brittle, they are toughened with reactive liquid rubbers or core–shell elastomers. Surface-modified silica nanoparticles, 20 nm in diameter and with a very narrow particle size distribution, are available as concentrates in epoxy resins in industrial quantities for the past 10 years. Some of the...