Effect of coupling agent on hollow carbon microsphere/phenolic resin syntactic foam

Abstract

The report below investigates the effect of coupling agents on the flexure properties of hollow carbon microspheres/phenolic resin syntactic foam. The author uses a chemical improvement method – addition of coupling agent, to improve the mechanical property of the syntactic foam. The coupling agent used was Glutaric Dialdehyde.

The hollow carbon microsphere was prepared by the heat treatment of phenolic microspheres. The samples were prepared by first, the precise measurements of the required hollow carbon microspheres, phenolic resin and Glutaric Dialdehyde. The carbon microspheres produced are then needed to undergo a surface treatment to prepare them for the addition and bonding to the coupling agents. After the surface treatment, the carbon microspheres are now ready to react with the coupling agent. After reacting with the coupling agent, the carbon microspheres are now ready to be added into the phenolic resin matrix to produce the syntactic foam.

Flexure tests on the syntactic foam sample using the Instron 5567 were conducted. The FITR and SEM were used to scan for chemical bonds and topography of hollow carbon microsphere respectively. The results obtained showed that the addition of the coupling agent was a simple method to improve the mechanical properties of the syntactic foam.