Overview of EP114
Master Bond EP114 is a two-component nano silica filled epoxy system which offers excellent dimensional stability and a very high glass transition temperature (Tg > 200°C upon curing. Its ultra-low initial mixed viscosity (500–1500 cps at room temperature) can be further reduced by preheating to a slightly higher temperature, making EP114 ideal for vacuum infiltration to produce dense nanocomposites, as shown in the case study below.
Application
Graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) and boron-nitride nanoplatelets (BNNP) show promising application prospects in electric double-layer capacitors due to their large surface area. However, they tend to agglomerate due to van der Waals forces and π-π interactions, leading to a lower surface area and ultimately a reduction in the specific capacity of capacitors. Agglomeration can be prevented by fabricating GNP and BNNP into three-dimensional foams, but the resulting foams often show insufficient mechanical strength and require reinforcement. Vacuum infiltration with an epoxy resin provides a reinforcement method that does not compromise the toughness of nanocomposite foams, but the chosen epoxy resin must have an appropriately low viscosity to penetrate the foam. Master Bond EP114 has a sufficiently low viscosity for vacuum infiltration, so researchers at Florida International University used it to investigate interactions between freeze-dried GNP/BNNP foams and EP114 to understand its infiltration behavior.
To read about the key parameters, requirements, and results, please download the full case study.
Download full case study
Reference
Benedetti, L.; Orikasa, K.; Agarwal, A. The Effect of Different GNP/BNNP Foam Structures in the Infiltration of Epoxy Resin: A Fundamental Study. Polymer Composites. 2023. https://doi.org/10.1002/pc.28070.