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The Influence of Graphene Nanoplatelets on the Tensile and Impact Behavior of Glass-Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites

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Abstract

The effect of addition of graphene nanoplatelets (GnPs) on the mechanical behavior of unidirectional S-glass fiber based composites fabricated through the hand layup technique, followed by hot compression moulding were investigated. The GnPs with varying concentrations were introduced into the composites in two different ways, i.e., (1) GnPs in matrix; (2) GnPs on the fiber surface (GnPs coated fibers fabric). The influence of method of incorporation of GnPs in the composites were evaluated from the mechanical properties, i.e., tensile, fiber pull-out and drop weight impact tests. The composite containing 0.5 wt.% GnPs on fiber surface showed the highest tensile strength with an improvement of 212% and the composite containing 0.5 wt.% GnPs in matrix showed higher energy absorption with 52% over the pristine composite. The influence of 0.5 wt.% GnPs added on the fiber surface improved the interfacial shear strength by 136% over pristine due to the enhancement of adhesion at the fiber/matrix interface.

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Acknowledgement

The authors acknowledge the technical support for testing drop weight impact test from the Department of Aerospace Engineering, Madras Institute of Technology, Anna University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.

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Author notes

  1. Ratnam Paskaramoorthy

    Present address: MPR Technologies, Johannesburg, South Africa

  2. Sivasankaran Harish

    Present address: Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-Ku, 113-8656, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering Guindy Campus, Anna University, Chennai, 600 025, India

    Vigneshwaran Gnanakkan Samuel Veerakumar & Balasivanandha Prabu Shanmugavel

  2. DST/NRF Centre for Strong Materials and School of Mechanical, Industrial and Aeronautical Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Ratnam Paskaramoorthy

  3. International Institute for Carbon–Neutral Energy Research Kyushu University (WPII2CNER), 44 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka, 819-0395, Japan

    Sivasankaran Harish

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  1. Vigneshwaran Gnanakkan Samuel Veerakumar
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Correspondence to Vigneshwaran Gnanakkan Samuel Veerakumar.

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Veerakumar, V.G.S., Shanmugavel, B.P., Paskaramoorthy, R. et al. The Influence of Graphene Nanoplatelets on the Tensile and Impact Behavior of Glass-Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites. J. of Materi Eng and Perform 30, 596–609 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-020-05335-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-020-05335-2

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