high-performance starch-modified graphene oxide/epoxy nanocomposite coatings: a glimpse at cure kinetics and fracture behavior

Epoxy is a versatile resin used in different fields such as coatings, colors, colorants, and composites. adding nano-scale fillers/additives to the epoxy has valued epoxy coatings for engineering applications, and opened the time of advanced epoxy-based nanocomposite coatings. in the present work, graphene oxide (go) was chemically functionalized with starch, as a natural polymer, and added to the epoxy/amine system. differential scanning calorimetry was utilized to assess the cure kinetics of neat epoxy and its composites containing pristine and starch-functionalized go (go-st). cryofractured surfaces of epoxy/go and epoxy/go-st nanocomposites are detected by scanning electron microscopy. overall, the results are indicative of appropriateness of surface functionalization of go by starch for highperformance coating applications. hindered cure observed in the case of epoxy/go was conquered by the attachment of starch to go; moreover, tree-like fracture was responsible for higher fracture resistance due to starch.