Synthesis and Characterization of Well-dispersed Zinc Oxide Quantum Dots in Epoxy Resin Using Epoxy Siloxane Surface Modifier

Zinc oxide quantum dots were synthesized using poly (dimethyl siloxane) diglycidyl ether terminated, as surface modifiers (SAs) in different concentrations by precipitation method. The epoxy siloxane modifier was chosen in order to improve the compatibility with the polymeric matrix and gain better dispersion. ZnO QDs with size of about 3 nm with optimum properties were synthesized. Structural characteristics and optical properties of synthesized ZnO quantum dots were investigated using Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence (PL) and UV-Vis spectroscopy. They were powdered, purified and finally dispersed in 3 treatment levels in epoxy resin Matrix and they were distributed uniformly in the epoxy resin. The effect of these nanoparticles on the curing process of epoxy resin and 1,3-bis (aminomethyl) cyclohexane (1,3BAC) hardener was investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The nanocomposites containing 0.05, 0.1 and 0.15 % ZnO nanoparticles presented respectively 3.6, 15.05, and 12.76 % lower heat flows than the epoxy resin which confirms the barrier effect of these nanoparticles on the activity of epoxy and amine.