Tensile, thermal and dynamic mechanical properties of hollow polymer particle-filled epoxy syntactic foam

Four types of hollow polymer particles have been employed as fillers in UV-heat-cured epoxy resin. The effects of filler volume fraction and types on tensile properties of syntactic foams are investigated. All hollow particle types have exhibited approximately the same size, but with different groups on particle surface. Volume fraction of hollow particles for the syntactic foams varies up to 0.25. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and tensile tests have been performed. According to TGA and DMA test results, the addition of polymer particle leads to stronger interfacial particles–matrix interaction and high loss factor. Tensile tests have also shown that tensile strength and specific properties of all foams decrease with the increasing of particle content. In terms of tensile properties, the particles–matrix compatibility is more significant than that of the surface functional groups of particles.

► Four types of hollow polymer particles as fillers for syntactic foam.
► We investigate the effects of filler volume fraction and types on tensile properties of syntactic foams.
► Tensile properties and specific tensile properties of foams decrease with the increase in particle content.
► The particles–matrix compatibility is more significant than for the surface functional groups of particles on tensile properties.