Behavior of epoxy resin filled with nano-SiO2 treated with a Eugenol epoxy silane

Harvesting biobased silane coupling agent to enhance the connection between fillers and epoxy matrix is vital to achieve sustainable and environmentally friendly products. In this work, a eugenol based epoxy silane-coupling agent with high purity was prepared and used for the surface modification of nano-sized silica particles. The surface structure composition and physical properties of the modified nano-SiO 2 were characterized through nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transferred infrared spectrometer, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and thermal gravimetric analyzer. An epoxy nanocomposite was subsequently prepared by incorporating the resulting modified nano-SiO 2 as an enhancing filler. The nanocomposites glass transition temperature, the morphology of fracture surface, dynamic mechanical properties, and thermostability were investigated. Results showed that the eugenol epoxy silane-coupling agent bearing a long chain structure of benzene ring in the molecular structure could improve the compatibility of silica fillers with epoxy resin and contribute to a better dispersion state in the matrix, thus enhancing the overall performance of epoxy-cured products.