Improved Interlaminar Properties of Glass Fiber/Epoxy Laminates by the Synergic Modification of Soft and Rigid Particles

Jingwei Liu; Shenghui Tian; Jiaqi Ren; Jin Huang; Lin Luo; Bing Du; Tianyong Zhang

doi:10.3390/ma16196611

Materials (Oct 2023)

Improved Interlaminar Properties of Glass Fiber/Epoxy Laminates by the Synergic Modification of Soft and Rigid Particles

Jingwei Liu,
Shenghui Tian,
Jiaqi Ren,
Jin Huang,
Lin Luo,
Bing Du,
Tianyong Zhang

Affiliations

Jingwei Liu: Chongqing Key Laboratory of Nano-Micro Composites and Devices, College of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, Chongqing University of Science and Technology, Chongqing 401331, China
Shenghui Tian: Chongqing Key Laboratory of Nano-Micro Composites and Devices, College of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, Chongqing University of Science and Technology, Chongqing 401331, China
Jiaqi Ren: Chongqing Key Laboratory of Nano-Micro Composites and Devices, College of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, Chongqing University of Science and Technology, Chongqing 401331, China
Jin Huang: Chongqing Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Materials Chemistry and Functional Manufacturing, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Lin Luo: Chongqing Key Laboratory of Nano-Micro Composites and Devices, College of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, Chongqing University of Science and Technology, Chongqing 401331, China
Bing Du: Chongqing Key Laboratory of Nano-Micro Composites and Devices, College of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, Chongqing University of Science and Technology, Chongqing 401331, China
Tianyong Zhang: Department of Fine Chemicals and Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16196611
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 16, no. 19
p. 6611

Abstract

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Poor interlaminar fracture toughness has been a major issue in glass fiber-reinforced epoxy resin (GF/EP) laminate composites. In this paper, soft carboxy-terminated nitrile (CTBN) rubber particles and rigid nano-SiO2 are used to toughen the epoxy resin (EP) matrix to improve the interlayer properties of GF/EP laminate composites. The effects of adding two toughening agents on the mechanical and interlayer properties of GF/EP laminates were studied. The results showed that adding the two kinds of particles improved the mechanical properties of the epoxy matrix. When the additional amount of flexible CTBN rubber particles was 8 wt%, and the rigid nano-SiO2 was 0.5 wt%, the fracture toughness of the matrix resin was increased by 215.8%, and the tensile strength was only decreased by 2.3% compared with the pure epoxy resin. On this basis, the effects of two kinds of particles on the interlayer properties of GF/EP composites were studied. Compared with the unmodified GF/EP laminates, the interlayer shear strength and mode I interlayer fracture toughness is significantly improved by a toughening agent, and the energy release rate GIC of interlayer shear strength and interlayer fracture toughness is increased by 109.2%, and 86.8%, respectively. The flexible CTBN rubber particles and rigid nano-SiO2 improve the interfacial adhesion between GF and EP. The cavitation of the two particles and the plastic deformation of the matrix is the toughening mechanism of the interlayer properties of the composite. Such excellent interlaminar mechanical properties make it possible for GF/EP laminates to be widely used as engineering materials in various industries (e.g., aerospace, hydrogen energy, marine).

Published in Materials

ISSN: 1996-1944 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Technology: Electrical engineering. Electronics. Nuclear engineering; Technology: Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General); Science: Natural history (General): Microscopy; Science: Physics: Descriptive and experimental mechanics
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/materials/

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