Background: Polymer matrix based composites are the workhorse of the composite industries. Besides, the idea of modifying the polymer matrix by various inorganic fillers have greatly drawn attention of materials engineers due to their diversified applications and advanced properties. Objective: The objective of this work is to prepare, and characterize Titania (TiO2) and Silica (SiO2) nanoparticles and develop 1wt%, 3wt%, 5wt% and 10wt% TiO2 and SiO2 incorporated epoxy based nanocomposites. Method: The TiO2 nanoparticles are prepared by most famous and conventional sol-gel method and SiO2 nanoparticles are extracted from Padma river (silica) sand obtained from Rajshahi city, Bangladesh. Results: The XRD patterns and SEM image ensures the formation of TiO2 and SiO2 nanoparticles. The mechanical properties and Mechanical properties like tensile strength, flexural strength, young modulus and Rockwell hardness of the nanocomposites are also determined using universal testing machine (UTM) and Digital Shore durometer respectively. The tests reveal that addition of nanoparticles have increased hardness and young modulus of the nanocomposites decreasing the tensile and flexural strength than that of neat epoxy. Conclusion: The TiO2 and SiO2 nanoparticles have synthesized successfully. The preliminary experiments predict that addition of nanoparticles (TiO2, SiO2) converts the composite from ductile to brittle material.

Epoxy is being extensively used in various engineering and structural applications. Epoxy is non-biodegradable, thus creating ecological problems. Apart from ecological problems, epoxy resin shows poor biofouling prevention in marine, freshwater and offshore environments. In the search for an eco-friendly solution to this problem, epoxy/chitosan/silver nanocomposites were devised. Chitosan was extracted from shrimp shells following deacetylation of chitin, and silver (Ag) nanoparticles synthesized using a chemical reduction process of silver salts. All the composite samples were prepared utilizing the solution casting method. The X-ray diffraction pattern and Fourier transform infrared analysis predict the successful creation of silver nanoparticles and chitosan, respectively. Different mechanical testings elaborate the fact that addition of chitosan into epoxy resin increases hardness, lowering tensile and flexural strength, whereas incorporation of silver nanoparticles reverses those properties, resulting in mechanical properties analogous with neat epoxy resin. Additionally, soil burial biodegradation testing ensured relatively greener characteristics of the final nanocomposites. Herein, the combined effect of chitosan and silver nanoparticles on an epoxy matrix is reported for the first time.

This work reports the synthesis and characterization of inorganic Titania (TiO 2 ) nanoparticles and formation of epoxy-based composites loaded with 1wt%, 3wt%, 5wt% and 10wt% TiO 2 nanoparticles and sawdust by weight. The TiO 2 nanoparticles were prepared using sol-gel method and characterized by SEM and XRD analysis to ensure the size and formation of nanoparticles. These composites were subjected to mechanical testing to study various properties like tensile strength, flexural strength, young's modulus, hardness on various loading percentages. In all respects, inorganic Epoxy/ TiO 2 nanocomposites showed better performance than organic sawdust/epoxy composites.