This work aims to investigate the role of epoxy addition in high density polyethylene (HDPE) matrix. The block copolymer polyethylene-b-poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG-co-PE) was used as a compatibilizer. The samples were obtained by melt mixing using a torque rheometer. Instrumental nanoindentation was used to determine Young's modulus and nanohardness, thermal properties were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and phase morphology was investigated through transmission and scanning electronic microscopy. The epoxy addition increased HDPE crystallinity by 13% and Young's modulus by 8%. The addition of PEG-co-PE decreased the size of dispersed phase by approximately 50% and improved phase adhesion and homogeneity compared to the blends without block copolymer. The experimental results were compared to numerical results obtained from the use of the homogenization by asymptotic expansion approach. The numerical results presented a fair agreement to the experimental values.

The aim of this work was the synthesis of hybrid organic-inorganic epoxy-copolysilsesquioxane nanocomposites reinforced with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT). Copolysilsesquioxanes oligomers from 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and phenyltriethoxysilane (PTES) precursors have been synthesized by a sol-gel process and chemically incorporated to an epoxy resin based on diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA). MWCNT (0.25 wt%) was added to the hybrid matrixes with different degrees of condensation. Fourier transform infrared analysis showed that a high degree of cure was achieved, suggesting that the MWCNT did not affect the curing reaction of the hybrid matrixes. Hybrid nanocomposites obtained by sonication technique presented improvement on thermal stability, exhibiting onset degradation temperatures higher than 340 °C under N2. Tensile tests presented Young’s modulus and maximum stress values up to 2.9 GPa and 47 MPa, respectively, indicating that the new hybrid epoxy/MWCNT nanocomposites show a moderate enhancement of the mechanical properties in comparison with the neat epoxy resin.