Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology Journal of Particle Science and Technology 2423-4087 4 2 2018 10 01 Effect of surface-functionalization of Na+-montmorillonite nanoclay using 3-aminopropyltrimethoxy silane on the mechanical properties of E-glass chopped strand mat/epoxy composites 59 65 678 10.22104/jpst.2018.2915.1125 EN Ali Feiz Department of Materials Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran Hamed Khosravi Department of Materials Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran 0000-0002-0217-8342 Esmaeil Tohidlou Department of Materials Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran Journal Article 2018 05 18 In the present work, Na⁺-montmorillonite nanoclay (Na-MMT) was functionalized using 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (3-APTMS) as a coupling agent. The covalent functionalization of MMT was confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). In the specimen fabrication stage, 5 wt% of pristine MMT or silane-functionalized MMT (f-MMT) were incorporated into an epoxy system and the resultant mixture was applied on an E-glass chopped strand mat (CSM). A significant enhancement in the mechanical behavior (tensile and flexural properties) of CSM/epoxy composite was observed when enhanced with 5 wt% of f-MMT. The addition of 5 wt% of f-MMT enhanced the tensile strength, flexural strength, tensile modulus, and flexural modulus by 18%, 38%, 18%, and 28%, respectively. Compared to the MMT/CSM/epoxy composite, the f-MMT/CSM/epoxy specimen demonstrated 12%, 18%, 11%, and 16% increase, respectively, in the tensile strength, flexural strength, tensile modulus, and flexural modulus. The observed behavior is related to the enhanced interfacial interaction between f-MMT and the epoxy matrix due to the chemical functionalization of MMT.  https://jpst.irost.ir/article_678_9fe8593a8a330607d76796b35c64c600.pdf