Physical and mechanicals characteristic of the nano particulate TiO2-lycal composite produced with open moulding

Nanoparticle filler has unique roles in mechanical properties of the polymer composite material such as TiO2− epoxy composite. Compare to epoxy properties, addition of nanoparticle in composite could provide a remarkable tensile strength, but decrease in others strength (compressive, shear and flexural). In order to better understand the role of nanoparticle TiO2 in polymer composite, this study made a homogeneous lycal resin composite with 4% and 8% vol. of TiO2) that produced with open moulding. Then composite was characterized by its density, and mechanical testing (tensile, compression, flexural and shear). Increasing TiO2 content resulted a higher density; actual density increase from 1.103 to 1.132 g/cm3. Actual density that is smaller than theoretic density implies that porosity exist in composite. Porosity is also increased with increasing TiO2 content in the composite. Porosity might play important role to decrease tensile strength. However adding 4% TiO2 reduced the others strength, but adding 8% TiO2 returned all the strengths into equal value as no TiO2 content.