Abstract: An investigation was carried out to modify the toughness of triethylene tetramine cured DGEBA (diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A) resin using solid amine terminated poly (ethylene glycol) benzoate (ATPEGB) as modifier with and without red mud waste particles. The solid ATPEGB modifier synthesized from the acid catalyzed esterification reaction of poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) and 4-amino benzoic acid was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and 1H-NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) spectroscopies, viscosity measurements, and solubility parameter calculation. The unfilled and red mud waste filled modified epoxy networks were evaluated with impact, adhesive, tensile, flexural and thermal properties by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric (TG) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The effect of modifier concentration and red mud waste particles on toughening behavior was also investigated. The optimum properties were obtained at 12.5 phr (parts per hundred parts of resin) concentration of the modifier. The ATPEGB modified cured epoxy was thermally stable up to 315℃. The morphology on fracture surfaces of cured epoxy was also analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Key words: Epoxy, Toughness, Adhesive, Morphology