The Influence of the Dispersed Filler of the Ni–Fe–Si–C System on the Physicomechanical Properties and Structure of Epoxy Composites

The influence of a dispersed powder filler obtained by thermal synthesis from a mixture of 65% titanium hydride, 30% ferrosilicon, and 5% technical carbon powders, on the main physicomechanical properties of a polymer composite based on ED-20 epoxy diane oligomer, is investigated. The content of the filler varied in the range from 5 to 40 mass%. The introduction of the filler into the polymer composition leads to a noticeable increase in the main mechanical characteristics of the composite. Its maximum values at the dispersed component content of 10%, ensure an increase in bending strength in 1.6 times, and an impact toughness in 1.7 times compared to the original matrix. A further increase in the dispersed filler content in the composite composition to 20–40% leads to a decrease in fracture stresses, the level of which, however, still exceeds the strength of the original matrix phase. Composites with 5% filler demonstrate maximum values of adhesive strength and minimum values of residual stresses. When the content of dispersed filler increases by more than 5–10%, the formation of the dispersed particles conglomerates the number and size of which increase with the increase in the powder concentration in the mixture is observed in the composite structure.