Thermal and mechanical characterization of polymer composites filled with dispersed zeolite and oil shale

The thermal, viscoelastic, mechanical behavior of polymers filled with dispersed zeolite and oil shale is studied as a function of temperature, grain size, and filler concentration. It was found that the thermal conductivity of epoxy-zeolite composite increases with different zeolite grain sizes and takes a higher value in case of the 63 ?m grain size composite. The observed enhancement in the thermal conductivity of zeolite composites correlates well with that of the electrical conductivity. The thermodynamic results exhibit a slight increase in the glass transition temperature of the polystyrene/oil shale composites, and shift in the observed relaxation peaks with increasing the oil shale content. The plastic deformation of PS/oil shale composites shows that the elastic modulus increases and the compressive yield stress decreases with oil shale content. The Eyring theory of yielding could predict the dependence of the yield stress on the applied strain rate. The predicted activation volume and activation energy showed dependence on the oil shale grains sizes and content. © 2010 The Author(s).