Abstract
A challenge of actual research in the field of epoxy resin composites is to find paths to modify the basic properties of these polymers but keeping unchanged their excellent mechanic properties when is about epoxy resins. One valuable way is to find appropriate solvents that are compatible with the used polymer and able to solvate specific salts such as using the solution to place metallic ions inside the polymer matrix. Such an attempt might be followed by solvent removal by various physical processes having as effect the presence of metallic ions in the polymer network with possible effects regarding the transport phenomena. There are some well-known solvents as 1,4-Dioxane, 1-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidinone and N,N-Dimethylformamide that can be used also as metallic complexes precursors and their effect on the properties of an epoxy resin should be known. Present study is concerning with the modifications induced by the use of above mentioned organic solvents together with glucose and starch as an attempt to create nano-structures inside the polymer. For this study three epoxy resins had been used and tribological behaviour had been studied on a TRM 1000 tribometer from Wazau (Germany).
Keywords: epoxy resin; glucose; starch; organic solvents; friction; wear