Experimental Investigation of the Machinability of Epoxy Reinforced With Graphene Platelets

The objective of this research is to study the effect of graphene platelet (GPL) loading on the machinability of epoxy-based GPL composites. To this end, micro-milling experiments are conducted on composites with varying GPL content and their results are contrasted against that of plain epoxy. The material microstructure is characterized using transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy methods. Chip morphology, cutting force, machined surface morphology, and tool wear, are employed as the machinability measures for comparative purposes. At lower loadings of GPL (0.1% and 0.2% by weight) the deformation of the polymer phase plays a major role, whereas at a higher loading of 0.3% by weight, the GPL agglomerates and interface-dominated failure dictates the machining response. The minimum chip thickness value of the composites decreases with an increase in GPL loading. Overall, the 0.2% GPL composite has the highest cutting force and the lowest tool wear.