Improvements of Static and Dynamic Behavior of Laminated Carbon/Epoxy Composites Through the Inclusion of Nanoclay and MWCNTs

In this work, investigations were carried out to improve the performance laminated woven carbon/epoxy composites through the inclusion of nanoclay and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT), individually and together as binary nanoparticles. In this study, 0.3 wt% of MWNCT, and 2 wt% of nanoclay were added to epoxy resin system. For binary nanocomposites 0.1 wt% MWCNTs and 2 wt% montmorillonite nanoclay were used for modifying epoxy. Laminated woven carbon/epoxy composites were fabricated using hand-layup and compression molding methods with just epoxy for control samples and with MWCNTs, nanoclay and binary nanoparticles included epoxy resin system. Carbon fiber/epoxy composites with and without nanoparticles were subjected to tensile, flexure and low-velocity impact (LVI) tests; dynamic mechanical, thermomechanical as well as morphological analyses. While all the nanophased composites showed improved properties, the best properties were obtained for the composites with binary nanoparticles modified epoxy. Binary nanoparticles modified carbon fiber/epoxy composites exhibited 28%, 27% and 40% increase in the tensile strength, modulus and strain to failure, respectively; and 30% and 31% improvement in flexural strength and modulus, respectively. Storage modulus, loss modulus and glass transition temperature increased about 40%, 44% and 19%, respectively. Moreover, coefficient of thermal expansion decreased about 30% and 44% before and after glass transition temperature. Furthermore, morphological analysis revealed better adhesion between matrix and fiber for binary nanoparticles reinforced composites. LVI test results showed that reinforcement with nanoparticles improved the impact resistance properties of CFRP composite panels. Among the modified samples, binary nanoparticles system displayed highest impact damage resistance and lowest damaged area at all energy levels followed by MWCNTs and nanoclay modified systems.