Study on Mechanical Characteristics of Nanoclay Reinforced Polymer Composites

The present work is focused on analysis and influence of nanoclay on the mechanical behavior of polymers viz., epoxy and polyester. Different types of nanocomposites are prepared using 5 wt% and 10 wt% nanoclay with 95 wt% and 90 wt% epoxy and polyester respectively. Nanoclay is mixed with the resin using a mechanical stirrer for 2 hours to ensure the proper distribution of the reinforcement. Casting technique is used to prepare the specimens according to ASTM standard. The specimens are tested for tensile strength and hardness. 5 wt% of nanoclay increased the tensile strength of resins, but 10 wt% decreased the tensile strength. Hardness value of epoxy resin increased by increasing the wt% of nanoclay, whereas there is no much change in the hardness value of the polyester resin.