Abstract
In recent years, advent of nanomaterials has opened new avenues for design of structural fiber reinforced polymeric (FRP) composites that are stronger, lighter, and more durable than the conventional FRP composites. The current study is to develop and characterize next generation lightweight, ultra-strong FRP composites through the incorporation of multifunctional nanoparticles in polymers. In order to determine which type of nanoclay works well with the resin system chosen, four different types of nanoclay were tried and the one which performed the best was used to further fabricate nanophased glass and carbon epoxy composites. In order to determine which among the four different types of nanoclay would yield better mechanical properties, nanophased epoxy resin systems with 1 and 2 wt.% of nanoclay were used. The results show that Kaolin Clay nanoclay performed better when compared to the other 3 types: 35–45 wt.% Dimethly diaalkyl, Stearyl ammonium 25–30 wt.% and 15–35 wt.% Octadeylamine. There is about 2.88% increase in the strength and about 6.7% increase in the strength for the 1 wt.% and 2 wt.% Kaolin nanoclay respectively, when compared to just resin sample. All the other nanoclay yielded a decrease in the strength. This indicated that Kaolin Clay dispersed and bonded better with epoxy. Carbon and glass fabric epoxy laminated plates were then manufactured using the VARTM method with Kaolin nanoclay and tested for their flexural properties. There is a significant increase in the properties of composites with about 20.88% increase in the strength for 1 wt.% and 17.94% for 2 wt.% for the carbon/epoxy nanocomposites. For the glass/epoxy nanocomposites, the corresponding increase and in the strength is by 27.64% for 1 wt.% and 16.21% for 2 wt.% with Kaolin nanoclay. Additionally, increased strain to failure indicates higher strain energy for the nanophased systems.
