Enhancement of thermal stability and mechanical properties of epoxy resin by metal-organic framework nanoparticles in irradiation environment

Epoxy resins are widely used in aerospace, radiological medicine, and high-energy particle accelerators. However, under high-energy radiation conditions, the physical and chemical properties of epoxy resins are prone to significant degradation, leading to reduced service life. In this study, metal-organic framework (MOFs) nanoparticles were employed to modify epoxy resins. The mechanical and thermal properties of the modified epoxy resins were compared with those of epoxy resins modified with tungsten disulfide and carbon nanotubes (CNTs), as well as unmodified epoxy resins, before and after irradiation, using tensile shear, nanoindentation, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The experimental results demonstrated that MOFs-modified epoxy resins exhibited the best radiation resistance compared to those modified with WS₂, CNTs, and unmodified epoxy resins. After MOFs modification, the tensile strength of epoxy resins increased by 13.57%, the glass transition temperature rose by 6.0%, and the thickness of the oxide layer decreased by 44.95% after irradiation. Based on these findings, MOFs can serve as effective radiation-resistant reinforcement materials for epoxy resins due to their structural characteristics. This study provides new insights for improving the long-term service performance of epoxy resins in γ-ray irradiation environments.