Adhesion strength improvement of epoxy resin reinforced with nanoelastomeric copolymer

Research highlights: → Elastomeric nanoparticle (ENP) was prepared via miniemulsion polymerization. → ENP was added to epoxy resin (ER) with different amounts. → The lap shear strength (LSS) of different ENP/ER was measured. → The fractured surfaces were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). - Abstract: Nano-sized copoly(styrene-butylacrylate-ethylenglycoldimethacrylate) (St-BA-EGDMA) particles were added at different contents to improve the toughness of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A epoxy resin (ER) using piperidine as a curing agent. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) proved that nanoelastomer was finely dispersed in the epoxy adhesive. To compare the adhesion strength of different adherents utilizing both modified and unmodified epoxy adhesive, the lap shear strength (LSS) test was measured as a function of elastomeric nanoparticles (ENP) amount. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and FTIR were used to investigate the interface morphology and chemical composition of adherent and epoxy adhesive. The result indicated that the adhesion strength was increased dramatically by addition of nanoparticles compared with that of pure epoxy adhesive. The highest adhesion strength was obtained with 20 wt% elastomeric nanoparticles. It was found that reinforcement with nanoparticles improved the fracture toughness.