Effect of Graphene Nanoplatelets on Compliance and Interlaminar FractureToughness of Fiberglass-Reinforced Polymer Composites

Epoxy-based resins typically have little resistance to crack growth and initiation due to theirbrittle structure. The mechanical properties of epoxy resins, especially the fracture toughness, aresignificantly improved by adding a second phase to the resin. In this work, the hybridnanocomposite samples of glass/epoxy were made by the hand layup method. Tensile, Charpyand mode I interlaminar fracture tests were performed, and the effects of adding graphene toglass/epoxy composite on the mode I interlaminar fracture toughness and mechanical propertiesof a hybrid nanocomposite were investigated. The tensile test results on hybrid nanocompositesshowed that graphene in nanocomposite epoxy resin increases the mechanical properties,especially the mode I interlaminar fracture toughness. The maximum fracture toughness value inthis study was obtained in the sample of %۱.۰ GnPs and the fracture toughness decreased withincreasing graphene value more than %۱.۰ GnPs. The highest tensile strength value wasobtained in the sample of %۱.۰ GnPs. However, different percentages of graphene did notsignificantly change the impact strength in the Charpy test.

Keywords:

Mode I interlaminar fracture , Laminated composite , Graphene , Mechanical properties , Nanocomposites