PREPARATION AND INVESTIGATION OF SOME MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF UNSATURATED POLYESTER RESIN REINFORCED BY HYBRID NANOPARTICLES

In this study, nano-composite of polymeric materials, prepared from unsaturated polyesterresin (UP). Two groups of nanocomposites were prepared by Hand Lay-up method. The firstgroup consists from (UP) reinforced by hybrid nanoparticles consisting of a mixture ofzirconium oxide and yttrium oxide (30 mol%Y2O3- ZrO2) with particles size (83.98nm). Thesecond group consists of (UP) reinforced by zirconia nanoparticles (ZrO2) with particle size(47.23nm). The effect of volume fraction (0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, 2%, 2.5%, 3%) of thenanoparticles additives on some mechanical properties of composites materials was studiedalso. The results shown that the values of the flexural modulus, impact strength and fracturetoughness increased, as the volume fraction ratio of the nanoparticle increased for bothgroups of nanocomposites, while flexural strength values decreased with the increased thevolume fraction ratio of the nanoparticles for both groups of nanocomposites also. As wellas, the unsaturated polyester resins reinforced by hybrid nanoparticles has higher mechanicalproperties as compared with their counterparts of composites reinforced by zirconiananoparticles only. The morphological formation of the fracture surface showed a closeinterconnection between all components of the prepared polymeric compositions. Thisreinforce a good compatibility between unsaturated polyester resins and reinforcementnanoparticles, which enhancement the mechanical properties.