GNP Films Embedded Glass Fiber Reinforced Composites for Enhanced Impact Performance
Topic(s) : Multifunctional and smart composites
Co-authors :
Muhammad Yasir KHALID (UNITED ARAB EMIRATES), Jefferson JEFFERSON ANDREW JEYAKUMAR , Kamran A. KHAN (UNITED ARAB EMIRATES), Wesley WESLEY JAMES CANTWELL , Muzafar HUSSAIN (UNITED ARAB EMIRATES), Rehan UMERAbstract :
Graphene-based 2D materials offer an ideal platform for developing multifunction laminated composites, which have promising role in improving many mechanical properties without compromising the strength and weight. Lightweight films produced from graphene nano-platelets (GNPs) can be embedded within a fiber reinforced composite for enhanced multifunctionality and improved mechanical performance. Herein, a facile approach is used for fabricating glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) composites with enhanced impact properties using high concentrations (>1 wt.%) of GNPs having a surface area of 80 m2 and an average particle size of 25 μm. The co-curing approach is proposed for fabricating GNP film embedded GFRP composites as presented in Figure 1a.
The GNP films with different weight ratios (1 wt.%, 2 wt.% and 5 wt.%) were prepared using both thermoplastic Elium® resin and thermosetting epoxy resin. After pouring the GNP and resin mixture on the mould surface allow these GNP films to semi-cure (till it reaches the gel point temperature). The films were infused and co-cured with a 3D woven orthogonal glass fabric using the vacuum-assisted resin transfer moulding (VARTM) process. After that samples were cured at room temperature and later post-cured at 800C in the oven final impact sample is shown in Figure 1b.
The low-velocity impact testing was performed for four samples including pristine GFRP, 1 wt.%, 2 wt.%, and 5 wt.% GNP-GFRP composites at various energy levels such as 50 J, 100 J, 200 J and 300 J to evaluate the performance of multifunction composites. Example data is presented in Figure 1c at 200 J energy level. The contact force-displacement graphs of GNP film-based GFRP and pristine GFRP samples demonstrated an initial linear response and later a sudden drop as presented in Figure 1c. This is also clear from Figure 1c all GNP film-based GFRP have rebounding behaviour. This shows that all GNP film-based GFRP under the applied energy have sufficient strength to withstand the applied energy while for pristine GFRP composite, the curve is open, indicating that applied energy is sufficient enough to penetrate through the samples and break it. Furthermore, it was found that polymeric GNP film (2 wt.%) embedded GFRP composites had improved the impact performance (maximum peak force) by 87% and absorbed energy by 20% as compared to pristine GFRP samples. It is anticipated that the proposed GFRP laminated composites based on GNP films can be used in the aerospace industry for a number of structural and functional applications.
The GNP films with different weight ratios (1 wt.%, 2 wt.% and 5 wt.%) were prepared using both thermoplastic Elium® resin and thermosetting epoxy resin. After pouring the GNP and resin mixture on the mould surface allow these GNP films to semi-cure (till it reaches the gel point temperature). The films were infused and co-cured with a 3D woven orthogonal glass fabric using the vacuum-assisted resin transfer moulding (VARTM) process. After that samples were cured at room temperature and later post-cured at 800C in the oven final impact sample is shown in Figure 1b.
The low-velocity impact testing was performed for four samples including pristine GFRP, 1 wt.%, 2 wt.%, and 5 wt.% GNP-GFRP composites at various energy levels such as 50 J, 100 J, 200 J and 300 J to evaluate the performance of multifunction composites. Example data is presented in Figure 1c at 200 J energy level. The contact force-displacement graphs of GNP film-based GFRP and pristine GFRP samples demonstrated an initial linear response and later a sudden drop as presented in Figure 1c. This is also clear from Figure 1c all GNP film-based GFRP have rebounding behaviour. This shows that all GNP film-based GFRP under the applied energy have sufficient strength to withstand the applied energy while for pristine GFRP composite, the curve is open, indicating that applied energy is sufficient enough to penetrate through the samples and break it. Furthermore, it was found that polymeric GNP film (2 wt.%) embedded GFRP composites had improved the impact performance (maximum peak force) by 87% and absorbed energy by 20% as compared to pristine GFRP samples. It is anticipated that the proposed GFRP laminated composites based on GNP films can be used in the aerospace industry for a number of structural and functional applications.