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The effect of gamma rays and stearic acid on calcium carbonate and its impact on the properties of epoxy-based composites

  • Ali A. M. Yassene , Eman H. Awad ORCID logo EMAIL logo and Ahmed A. Hegazy
Published/Copyright: April 4, 2024
Radiochimica Acta
From the journal Radiochimica Acta Volume 112 Issue 5

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to produce composites of epoxy resin and calcium carbonate (EP/CaCO3) and investigate how treating the CaCO3 filler with stearic acid and gamma radiation affects the properties of the epoxy composites, enhancing their suitability for a range of applications. The CaCO3 powder was subjected to stearic acid treatment and later exposed to γ-radiation at various doses namely (10, 20 and 30 kGy), Different weight percentages of untreated and treated CaCO3 powder were added to epoxy resin (EP) to create EP/CaCO3 composites loaded with varying amounts of CaCO3 filler (5 %, 10 %, 20 %, 30 %, and 40 %). The influence of both stearic acid treatment and different doses of gamma radiation on CaCO3 was investigated. The composites were subjected to characterization of various properties including mechanical (splitting tensile strength, impact strength), thermal (TGA and dimensional thermal analysis) as well as morphological SEM examination. The analysis’ findings demonstrated that the stearic acid monolayer functions as a coupling agent in the EP matrix and can coat CaCO3 particles efficiently. The modification of CaCO3 by stearic acid and exposure to 30 kGy of gamma radiation shows a notable improvement in thermal stability and mechanical qualities for the epoxy composites loaded with various CaCO3 concentrations.

Keywords: modification calcium carbonate; stearic acid; gamma rays; composite materials; thermal properties; SEM
Corresponding author: Eman H. Awad, Radiation Chemistry Department, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology, Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, Egypt, E-mail:

  1. Research ethics: Not applicable.

  2. Author contributions: The authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.

  3. Competing interests: No conflict of interest.

  4. Research funding: None declared.

  5. Data availability: Not applicable.

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Received: 2023-12-09
Accepted: 2024-03-12
Published Online: 2024-04-04
Published in Print: 2024-05-27

© 2024 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

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https://doi.org/10.1515/ract-2023-0266
Keywords for this article
modification calcium carbonate; stearic acid; gamma rays; composite materials; thermal properties; SEM

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Original Papers
  3. Speciation simulation and sorption mechanism of 238Pu in radioactive waste repository lithosphere
  4. Magnetic alginate supported potassium manganese ferrocyanide for the recovery of uranium from acidic wastewater
  5. Separation of ReO4−/TcO4− from simulated radioactive waste liquid by a novel series of anion exchange resins
  6. Technetium-99m radiolabeling through conjugation with l,l-ethylene dicysteine chelator of a trimethoxylated flavone and its bioevaluation in rat with induced C6 glioma tumor as a new cancer diagnostic agent
  7. The effect of gamma rays and stearic acid on calcium carbonate and its impact on the properties of epoxy-based composites
  8. Impact of gamma irradiation on phytochemical composition, and biological activities of Lepidium sativum seeds extract
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