Two types of physisorbed imidazolium ionic liquids (IL), 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (C 4 MImCl) or 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate (C 4 MImAc), were used for the surface treatment of polyaramid pulp (AP), aiming to enhance the interaction with an epoxy matrix. The treatments promoted a greater defibrillation of AP, which was most likely due to an interference of IL in the hydrogen bonding network of polyaramid. Composites of AP/epoxy (0.2, 0.4 or 0.6 parts per hundred of resin (phr)) were prepared, and those with 0.4 phr of IL-treated AP presented enhanced mechanical properties, compared to the neat or the untreated AP composites. Better homogeneity and stronger bonding between AP and the epoxy matrix were also observed, especially in the case of AP treated with C 4 MImCl. Moreover, the AP surface treatment increased the glass transition temperature and the storage moduli in both glassy and rubbery regions. The fracture toughness improvement of the composites was also achieved with the addition of the IL-treated AP.

Although epoxy resins are used in a broad variety of applications due to their good mechanical and thermal properties, their low fracture toughness is a limitation, exhibiting brittle behavior. This study explored the potential use of imidazolium ionic liquids (IL) as toughening agents for epoxy resin based on diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) with triethylenetetramine (TETA) as curing agent. Fracture toughness was evaluated for DGEBA-TETA epoxy resins with eleven imidazolium IL and the best results were found for the IL with the chloride anion and the shortest N-alkyl side chain, C 4 MImCl. The use of 1.0 phr of C 4 MImCl lead to the reduction of the crosslink density of the post-cured resin, resulting in the increase of 25.5% in stress intensity factor and 8.2% in tensile strength with no significant loss in other mechanical properties.

Several high‐performance reinforcements may be used in epoxy‐based composites. These commonly undergo chemical and/or physical treatments to enhance their interfacial interactions with polymer matrices. One recent technology comprises the use of ionic liquids (IL) as compatibilizers. This strategy may result in the development of composite materials with greater performance or multifunctional characteristics. Herein, an overview in the area of IL‐modified reinforcements and their effect on epoxy‐based composites is presented. The PRISMA protocol was followed for the review, and the focus of these studies was on the modification of carbon nanotubes, followed by graphene/graphite nanoplatelets and bio‐fillers. The most used IL were those based on imidazolium cation, especially 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium chloride. In most cases, when IL are used, the reinforcement displays stronger interactions with the epoxy matrix, depending the treatment route employed. Improved interfacial interactions are cited as the main reason for the improvement in the composite mechanical and thermal performances. It was also found that strategies for using low IL content, or routes that enable recovery of the salts after fiber/particle treatment, are still required, as well as the study of the influence of different amounts/types of IL on the structure of fillers and their relationships with the composite properties.

This study investigates creep and viscoelastic behavior of the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) epoxy resin and triethylenetetramine (TETA) system containing an imidazolium ionic liquid (IL), the 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (C 4 MImCl). Different time-dependent analysis methods are studied using data from tensile creep, tensile creep/recovery, and three-point and fourpoint flexural creep tests of epoxy with 1.0 or 4.0 phr of IL. From the results, the composition containing 1.0 phr of C 4 MImCl, cured at 60 C, presented greater viscoelasticity and crosslink density compared to compositions cured at 30 and 40 C, which was attributed to higher free volume and higher molecular mobility induced by the presence of the IL. In tensile creep tests using the stepped isostress method (SSM), no important degrading effects were found after the addition of 1.0 phr of IL over long time periods. This composition also showed the best overall performance in flexural SSM creep tests.

No abstract