Intrinsically Survivable Structural Composite Materials

Spherical nanoscale particles were incorporated into an aerospace epoxy resin. When properly dispersed with a combination of mechanical and ultrasonic mixing, the fracture toughness could be made twice that of the control resin. Spherical nanoparticles were added as a suspension which tended to agglomerate, dry fumed powders which were easiest to disperse and were formed in situ from silanes. The spherical particles had little effect on the flexural properties of the resin. Layered silicates were not observed to change the fracture toughness of the resin but did double the flexural properties in some formulations.