Preparation and mechanical properties of green epoxy/chitosan/silver nanocomposite

Abstract

So far, epoxy is being extensively used in various engineering and structural applications. Epoxy is non-biodegradable and thus creating ecological problems. Apart from ecological problems, epoxy resin shows poor biofouling prevention in marine, fresh water and offshore environment. To search an eco-friendly solution of this problem, epoxy/chitosan/silver nanocomposites were devised. Chitosan was extracted from the shrimp shells following deacetylation of chitin and silver (Ag) nanoparticles were synthesized using chemical reduction process of silver salts. All the composite samples were prepared utilizing solution casting method. The XRD pattern and FTIR analysis predict the successful creation of silver (Ag) nanoparticles and chitosan respectively. Different mechanical testing elaborate the fact that addition of chitosan into epoxy resin increases hardness, lowering tensile and flexural strength whereas incorporation of silver (Ag) nanoparticles reverses those properties creating analogous mechanical properties with neat epoxy resin. Besides, soil burial biodegradation test has ensured relatively greener characteristics of the final nanocomposites. Herein, the combined effect of chitosan and Ag-nanoparticles on epoxy matrix is reported for the first time.