Unravelling the role of filler surface wettability in long-term mechanical and dielectric properties of epoxy resin composites under hygrothermal aging
Epoxy resin (EP) incorporating inorganic fillers has garnered significant attention in the electrical and electronic industries due to its enhanced dielectric and mechanical properties, but its long-term performance under harsh conditions remains a critical concern. This study investigates the effec...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
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2025
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/181978 |
| _version_ | 1826118391116595200 |
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| author | Deng, Yuheng Wang, Qi Pan, Zhiyu Lv, Zepeng Chern, Wen Kwang Oh, Joo Tien Chen, Zhong |
| author2 | School of Materials Science and Engineering |
| author_facet | School of Materials Science and Engineering Deng, Yuheng Wang, Qi Pan, Zhiyu Lv, Zepeng Chern, Wen Kwang Oh, Joo Tien Chen, Zhong |
| author_sort | Deng, Yuheng |
| collection | NTU |
| description | Epoxy resin (EP) incorporating inorganic fillers has garnered significant attention in the electrical and electronic industries due to its enhanced dielectric and mechanical properties, but its long-term performance under harsh conditions remains a critical concern. This study investigates the effects of filler surface wettability on the durability of EP-SiO2 composites. Micro-sized SiO2 with hydrophilic (HP) and hydrophobic (HB) surfaces are prepared via surface treatment, before they are incorporated into epoxy resin and subjected to hygrothermal aging at 95 °C and 95 % relative humidity for up to 1200 h. Comprehensive characterizations of wettability, microstructure, mechanical properties, and dielectric performance are conducted. Results show that the composite with hydrophilic fillers, HP-SiO2-EP, exhibits superior dispersion and interfacial adhesion compared to its hydrophobic counterpart, HB-SiO2-EP. Consequently, HP-SiO2-EP demonstrates higher initial tensile strength, Young's modulus, and dielectric breakdown strength. Finite element simulations reveal the breakdown mechanism, highlighting that the hydrophobic SiO2 filler with interfacial defects results in earlier mechanical and dielectric failure. Furthermore, HP-SiO2-EP shows better resistance to hygrothermal aging compared to HB-SiO2-EP, with smaller increases in dielectric constant (+13 % vs. +28 %) and dielectric loss (+234 % vs. +311 %), as well as lower decrease in volume resistivity (-89 % vs. -93 %). This study provides valuable insights into the relationship between filler surface wettability and long-term composite performance, contributing to the design of more reliable materials for advanced dielectric applications. |
| first_indexed | 2025-03-09T12:10:08Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | ntu-10356/181978 |
| institution | Nanyang Technological University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-03-09T12:10:08Z |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | ntu-10356/1819782025-01-10T15:50:07Z Unravelling the role of filler surface wettability in long-term mechanical and dielectric properties of epoxy resin composites under hygrothermal aging Deng, Yuheng Wang, Qi Pan, Zhiyu Lv, Zepeng Chern, Wen Kwang Oh, Joo Tien Chen, Zhong School of Materials Science and Engineering School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering SP Group – NTU Joint Laboratory Engineering Epoxy-ceramic composites Interfacial adhesion analysis Epoxy resin (EP) incorporating inorganic fillers has garnered significant attention in the electrical and electronic industries due to its enhanced dielectric and mechanical properties, but its long-term performance under harsh conditions remains a critical concern. This study investigates the effects of filler surface wettability on the durability of EP-SiO2 composites. Micro-sized SiO2 with hydrophilic (HP) and hydrophobic (HB) surfaces are prepared via surface treatment, before they are incorporated into epoxy resin and subjected to hygrothermal aging at 95 °C and 95 % relative humidity for up to 1200 h. Comprehensive characterizations of wettability, microstructure, mechanical properties, and dielectric performance are conducted. Results show that the composite with hydrophilic fillers, HP-SiO2-EP, exhibits superior dispersion and interfacial adhesion compared to its hydrophobic counterpart, HB-SiO2-EP. Consequently, HP-SiO2-EP demonstrates higher initial tensile strength, Young's modulus, and dielectric breakdown strength. Finite element simulations reveal the breakdown mechanism, highlighting that the hydrophobic SiO2 filler with interfacial defects results in earlier mechanical and dielectric failure. Furthermore, HP-SiO2-EP shows better resistance to hygrothermal aging compared to HB-SiO2-EP, with smaller increases in dielectric constant (+13 % vs. +28 %) and dielectric loss (+234 % vs. +311 %), as well as lower decrease in volume resistivity (-89 % vs. -93 %). This study provides valuable insights into the relationship between filler surface wettability and long-term composite performance, contributing to the design of more reliable materials for advanced dielectric applications. Energy Market Authority (EMA) Ministry of Education (MOE) National Research Foundation (NRF) Submitted/Accepted version This research is supported by SP Group, the National Research Foundation, Singapore, the Energy Market Authority, under its Energy Programme (EMA-EP010-SNJL-002) and Ministry of Education, Singapore (RG7/24). 2025-01-05T02:22:19Z 2025-01-05T02:22:19Z 2025 Journal Article Deng, Y., Wang, Q., Pan, Z., Lv, Z., Chern, W. K., Oh, J. T. & Chen, Z. (2025). Unravelling the role of filler surface wettability in long-term mechanical and dielectric properties of epoxy resin composites under hygrothermal aging. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 682, 50-59. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jcis.2024.11.186 0021-9797 https://hdl.handle.net/10356/181978 10.1016/j.jcis.2024.11.186 39612763 2-s2.0-85210132081 682 50 59 en EMA-EP010-SNJL-002 RG7/24 Journal of Colloid and Interface Science © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the copyright holder. The Version of Record is available online at http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcis.2024.11.186. application/pdf |
| spellingShingle | Engineering Epoxy-ceramic composites Interfacial adhesion analysis Deng, Yuheng Wang, Qi Pan, Zhiyu Lv, Zepeng Chern, Wen Kwang Oh, Joo Tien Chen, Zhong Unravelling the role of filler surface wettability in long-term mechanical and dielectric properties of epoxy resin composites under hygrothermal aging |
| title | Unravelling the role of filler surface wettability in long-term mechanical and dielectric properties of epoxy resin composites under hygrothermal aging |
| title_full | Unravelling the role of filler surface wettability in long-term mechanical and dielectric properties of epoxy resin composites under hygrothermal aging |
| title_fullStr | Unravelling the role of filler surface wettability in long-term mechanical and dielectric properties of epoxy resin composites under hygrothermal aging |
| title_full_unstemmed | Unravelling the role of filler surface wettability in long-term mechanical and dielectric properties of epoxy resin composites under hygrothermal aging |
| title_short | Unravelling the role of filler surface wettability in long-term mechanical and dielectric properties of epoxy resin composites under hygrothermal aging |
| title_sort | unravelling the role of filler surface wettability in long term mechanical and dielectric properties of epoxy resin composites under hygrothermal aging |
| topic | Engineering Epoxy-ceramic composites Interfacial adhesion analysis |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/181978 |
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