Plain weave woven glass fabric reinforced epoxy (G-E) composite filled with two different types of fillers namely graphite, silicon carbide (each 5 and 10 wt%) was fabricated by hand lay-up method and compressed using...Plain weave woven glass fabric reinforced epoxy (G-E) composite filled with two different types of fillers namely graphite, silicon carbide (each 5 and 10 wt%) was fabricated by hand lay-up method and compressed using hot press. These composites were investigated for their static mechanical properties such as tensile, flexural properties and impact strength as well as mode-I fracture toughness as per ASTM standards. Experimental results on mechanical properties indicate that the strength and the modulus in tensile and flexural mode for G-E composite increase with increasing filler loading. The unfilled G-E composite has the tensile strength of 305 MPa and increased to 404.2 MPa for 10 wt% silicon carbide. However, in three-point bend mode, addition of graphite in G-E showed the highest flexural strength as well as modulus. Mode-I fracture toughness test results indicated that the graphite filler loading improved the toughness of G-E composite. Selected failed samples under tensile, bending and mode-I fracture were examined using scanning electron microscope to identify the fracture features.展开更多
Multifunctional hybrid polymer composites were projected as novel solutions to meet the demands in various industrial applications ranging from automotive to aerospace. This investigation focuses on processing, flexur...Multifunctional hybrid polymer composites were projected as novel solutions to meet the demands in various industrial applications ranging from automotive to aerospace. This investigation focuses on processing, flexural strength and fracture toughness characterization of the glass fabric reinforced epoxy (G-E) composites and graphite/fly ash cenosphere (FAC) modified interface between the epoxy matrix and glass fabric. Hand lay-up followed by compression moulding method was used to fabricate the laminates. Flexural and fracture toughness tests at room temperature, elevated temperature and cryogenic temperature were conducted to assess the flexural strength (FS) and mode-I plane-strain fracture toughness (K<sub>IC</sub>). The experimental and characterization efforts suggest that both graphite and FAC fillers improve bonding at the interface. The study showed that the graphite is more favorable for enhancing FS and KIC of G-E composites. Graphite filled G-E hybrid composites with significant FS and KIC to that of unfilled and FA filled G-E were successfully achieved by incorporating 10 wt% graphite. The incorporation of fillers resulted in improvement of FS, which increased by 43% and 37.7% for 10Gr+G-E and 10FAC+G-E hybrid composites respectively. All composites show a 26% improvement in KIC at cryogenic temperature and a decrease of 12.5% at elevated temperature. According to the SEM observations, fiber debonding from the matrix is suppressed due to the presence and uniform distribution of graphite. In addition, micro-pores, matrix shearing, active toughening mechanisms induced by graphite, such as crack deflection, layer breakage and delamination of graphite layers contributed to the enhanced KIC of hybrid G-E composites.展开更多
文摘Plain weave woven glass fabric reinforced epoxy (G-E) composite filled with two different types of fillers namely graphite, silicon carbide (each 5 and 10 wt%) was fabricated by hand lay-up method and compressed using hot press. These composites were investigated for their static mechanical properties such as tensile, flexural properties and impact strength as well as mode-I fracture toughness as per ASTM standards. Experimental results on mechanical properties indicate that the strength and the modulus in tensile and flexural mode for G-E composite increase with increasing filler loading. The unfilled G-E composite has the tensile strength of 305 MPa and increased to 404.2 MPa for 10 wt% silicon carbide. However, in three-point bend mode, addition of graphite in G-E showed the highest flexural strength as well as modulus. Mode-I fracture toughness test results indicated that the graphite filler loading improved the toughness of G-E composite. Selected failed samples under tensile, bending and mode-I fracture were examined using scanning electron microscope to identify the fracture features.
文摘Multifunctional hybrid polymer composites were projected as novel solutions to meet the demands in various industrial applications ranging from automotive to aerospace. This investigation focuses on processing, flexural strength and fracture toughness characterization of the glass fabric reinforced epoxy (G-E) composites and graphite/fly ash cenosphere (FAC) modified interface between the epoxy matrix and glass fabric. Hand lay-up followed by compression moulding method was used to fabricate the laminates. Flexural and fracture toughness tests at room temperature, elevated temperature and cryogenic temperature were conducted to assess the flexural strength (FS) and mode-I plane-strain fracture toughness (K<sub>IC</sub>). The experimental and characterization efforts suggest that both graphite and FAC fillers improve bonding at the interface. The study showed that the graphite is more favorable for enhancing FS and KIC of G-E composites. Graphite filled G-E hybrid composites with significant FS and KIC to that of unfilled and FA filled G-E were successfully achieved by incorporating 10 wt% graphite. The incorporation of fillers resulted in improvement of FS, which increased by 43% and 37.7% for 10Gr+G-E and 10FAC+G-E hybrid composites respectively. All composites show a 26% improvement in KIC at cryogenic temperature and a decrease of 12.5% at elevated temperature. According to the SEM observations, fiber debonding from the matrix is suppressed due to the presence and uniform distribution of graphite. In addition, micro-pores, matrix shearing, active toughening mechanisms induced by graphite, such as crack deflection, layer breakage and delamination of graphite layers contributed to the enhanced KIC of hybrid G-E composites.
